An irreverent attitude with a serious point

Across the pond in the U.K., the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign has a team of “champions” it uses to “raise awareness and reduce embarrassment” about the various cancers it targets with a strong dose of bawdy humor.

Mr. Testicles devotes his time to raising awareness of the cancer of his eponymous body part. Near Naked Man, a helmeted figure in a white jumpsuit adorned with a generous supply of chest hair and a fig leaf in the appropriate place, campaigns for awareness of prostate cancer.

James Bum 002, a parody of a certain famous fictional member of Her Majesty’s Secret Service, is suave in a tuxedo, though one with the seat of the pants cut out, as the disease he targets is bowel cancer.

But the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign has even bigger plans. It’s now raising money on Indiegogo to build a hot air balloon shaped like a giant pair of testicles called Skyballs, which the group says will be “world’s biggest cancer awareness tool.” Since the online fundraiser started Aug. 25, donors have given more than £12,400 toward the £60,000 goal. The deadline is Oct. 14. Donors are being rewarded with a variety of perks, from getting their name on the plaque on the balloon’s basket for £10 to wedding transport in the balloon for a groom and his attendants for £10,000.

Irish actor Chris O’Dowd and “Family Guy” character Peter Griffin have been signed on as boosters of the project.