Posted on Friday 18th March 2011
Prostate cheque
Steve Collin and Dave Redfern hand over the cheque to Nkem Umez-Eronini
Staff at a Carlisle firm have raised almost £3,700 for Urology services at the Cumberland Infirmary, while raising awareness of prostate cancer.
Workers from Pirelli in Dalston Road raised £3,691.55 with their Tash 4 Cash campaign last November, whereby staff pledged to grow a moustache and not shave it off for a whole month, in return for sponsorship.
Organiser Steve Collin said: “We decided it would be a good way to raise awareness of prostate cancer – a cause we chose because of Pirelli being a largely male environment.
“It was a real success and some of the lads went to get themselves checked out as a result of the campaign.”
Steve, together with colleague Dave Redfern, who raised the largest individual amount, went to the Cumberland Infirmary this week to hand over the cheque to Consultant Urologist Nkem Umez-Eronini. The money will go to North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust’s Charitable Funds, to be used specifically to treat and raise awareness of prostate cancer.
Mr Umez-Eronini said: “We are really grateful for donations such as these, and also to anyone in the local community who is trying to raise awareness of prostate cancer.
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with 37,000 diagnosed every year. Most prostate cancer is slow-growing to start with and may never cause any symptoms or problems in a man's lifetime but sometimes it can be more aggressive or high risk.
“In these cases, the cancer needs treatment to help prevent or delay it spreading outside the prostate gland. Any man who has symptoms such as problems passing urine who is concerned about the possibility of prostate cancer should discuss this with his GP.”
Mr Umez-Eronini has volunteered to go and speak to staff at Pirelli to highlight the importance of being vigilant to the symptoms of prostate cancer and of getting any concerns checked out.
March is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, when The Prostate Cancer Charity encourages people to spread the message and raise money so they can continue to fight prostate cancer through research, campaigning, support and information.
Visit www.prostate-cancer.org.uk for more information, to order a fundraising pack, or to request a volunteer to speak at an event you have organised.