Carols for the Future
The organisers of a charity run in Bristol to give hope to the thousands of men in the UK who suffer from prostate cancer are appealing for those who took part to send in their sponsorship monies!
More than 600 people entered the 2007 Run for Future event in September, organised by Bristol Rotarians to raise money for the BUI Bristol Prostate Cancer Appeal.
So far just half of the runners who took part have sent in their sponsorship, contributing just over £27,000 to research into a disease which claims the lives of more than 14,000 men every year – now organisers want to hear from the others!
Money from the 2006 event is already funding new research into ways of improving the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer and could pave the way for a national screening programme.
Scientists from the University of the West of England and the Bristol Urological Institute at Southmead Hospital are working as part of a joint research team, investigating testing urine to see if this could be a more accurate indicator of prostate cancer.
At present, there is no formal screening programme for prostate cancer as there is for breast cancer in women. Currently only one man in 12 in the UK has the PSA blood test, which can be an early indicator of prostate cancer, despite the fact that early detection greatly improves the chances of successful treatment.
John Miles, the chairman of the BUI Bristol Prostate Cancer appeal, says research into a new way of testing for the disease must be a priority.
"We know the PSA blood test can sometimes throw up anomalies, but although it's all we have at the moment it's still in my opinion very important to have the test. Events such as Run for the Future fund vital research projects, which could not only save thousands of lives, but result in a national screening programme"
Meanwhile fund-raising for the BUI Bristol Prostate Cancer Appeal continues with a concert from the Bristol Cabot Choir and Chamber Orchestra at Bristol Cathedral College at 7.30pm on Thursday, 20 December. All proceeds will go to the appeal.
They will be performing carols for Christmas and Handel’s Messiah Part 1 and tickets cost £14 (or £10 for under 16’s and accompanying parents) and are available from 0117 973 0904.
