Sligo has the second highest rate of bladder cancer cases in country
RENOWNED hurling manager, championship goalkeeper and TV personality Davy Fitzgerald teamed up with the Marie Keating Foundation to highlight the warning signs of bladder cancer. Sligo has been found to have second highest number of bladder cancer cases per population size in Ireland.
Blood in urine is the most common indicator of this disease which kills 222 people each year in Ireland.
The Foundation recommends a colour code for bladder health. If you see red (blood) in yellow (urine), go (green) to your doctor immediately.
Davy Fitzgerald said: “I've had my fair share of red cards but one red I never want to see is blood in my urine. With far more men affected by bladder cancer than women, knowing the warning signs of bladder cancer can save lives. We all need to watch our health as we get older, so if you ever see blood in your urine or have any other concerns, make sure you don’t ignore them – get it checked even just for peace of mind.”
The Marie Keating Foundation' ‘Give Bladder Cancer the Red Card!’ campaign, supported by Roche Products (Ireland) Ltd, aims to encourage men – who are three times more likely to be diagnosed than women – to know the signs and get help if needed. Over three quarters of those diagnosed (78%) are over the age of 652, and smoking increases the risk of bladder cancer.
Five counties had 15% higher average number of bladder cancer cases than expected, with Donegal found to have the highest number of cases per population size, followed by Sligo, Leitrim, Meath and Louth.
This percentage was in comparison with national rates, based on population size and age-distribution within each county. Warning signs of bladder cancer include blood in urine, recurrent urinary tract infections, needing to urinate suddenly and more frequently, pain when passing urine and pain in the lower back or abdomen.
The Marie Keating Foundation has created information resources including an infographic highlighting the signs of bladder cancer and a dedicated microsite.
For more information on bladder cancer, and to download the information materials, please visit www.mariekeating. ie/redcard/.