Prime Highlights:
- The initiative aims to educate men, especially those over 50, Black men, and those with a family history, about prostate cancer symptoms and risks.
- Community events across Humber and North Yorkshire will encourage early detection and timely medical advice.
Key Facts:
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with around 150 new cases diagnosed daily, totaling over 55,000 each year.
- Trans women and non-binary people assigned male at birth can also develop prostate cancer.
Background:
Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance has launched a month-long community engagement roadshow to raise awareness about prostate cancer and encourage early diagnosis across the region.
Throughout March, which marks Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, staff and volunteers from the alliance will visit community groups in areas where the disease is often diagnosed at a late stage. The initiative aims to teach people about prostate cancer, especially men over 50, Black men, and those with a family history.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK men, with around 150 new cases every day, more than 55,000 each year. Trans women and non-binary people who were born male can also get the disease. The risk increases with age, and one in eight men will be diagnosed during their lifetime. For Black men and those with a close relative affected by the disease, the risk rises to one in four.
The roadshow will include visits to Men in Sheds groups and other local organisations in Hull, Scunthorpe, Brigg, Grimsby, Scarborough, Goole, Barton upon Humber and Bridlington.
Dr Mark Rogers, urology consultant at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, said early detection can significantly improve treatment outcomes. He urged men to pay attention to changes in their bodies, including frequent urination, difficulty starting or maintaining urine flow, a feeling that the bladder has not emptied fully, or blood in urine or semen.
Richard Attack, 65, from Bridlington, spoke about being diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in 2021 after experiencing symptoms for several months. He now helps as a patient representative, urging others to see a doctor quickly if they notice any warning signs.
Health officials are also sharing a quick 30-second online risk checker from Prostate Cancer UK to help people understand their risk and act early.
