Wednesday 4 January 2006
Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce and the International and Premiership footballer, David James, both showed their support in the fight against male cancer yesterday by taking time out to urge men to be aware of the signs and symptoms of male cancer. David and Sam are part of the ‘Keep Your Eye on The Ball’ campaign, set-up by The Professional Footballers’ Association, The Football Association and The Everyman Male Cancer Campaign to make fans and players aware of testicular and prostate cancer.
David and Sam posed with the campaign’s signature lumpy football urging all men ‘to check their balls for irregular lumps’ – which is one of the symptoms of testicular cancer. David and Sam were also calling on Football Clubs to make their players and fans aware of the signs and symptoms to spread the message across the footballing community.
Keep Your Eye On The Ball will be running an awareness fortnight from 6th – 19th March, where Clubs and Supporters nationwide are being encouraged to get involved in various fundraising events and to put information about male cancer on their websites and in match day programmes.
David commented about the campaign, “I support Keep Your Eye On The Ball because it is important to make the fans and players aware of male cancer. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer to affect men between 20-35 years old, the average career span of a footballer. The good news is that if caught early enough, it is curable in 99% of cases. That’s why it is important for Keep Your Eye On The Ball to continue to raise awareness, which will help save lives.”
Sam quoted “"The statistics are shocking. The number of men that are diagnosed with male cancer each year would fill Bolton’s entire Reebok Stadium. Keep Your Eye On The Ball is working to educate men about the signs and symptoms of testicular and prostate cancer and to raise money to fund vital research."
Simone Pound from The Professional Footballers’ Association added, “The PFA fully support this vital campaign and we are delighted that so many of our members are working to raise awareness of male cancers to both players and supporters alike. It is particularly important to demonstrate that professional footballers Jason Cundy, Neil Harris, Alan Stubbs and Craig Forrest have all successfully combated testicular cancer. Players who have supported the campaign, including Joe Cole, Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry and Sol Cambell, are a great example of the positive role footballers play in spreading key messages.”
Philip Black from The Everyman Male Cancer Campaign commented, “We are delighted that David and Sam have kindly decided to show their support to Keep Your Eye On The Ball. By engaging the footballing community we can really make a difference in raising awareness of male cancer to men and also their partners.”
In the time it takes to play one 90 minute game of football, more than one man in the UK will have died of prostate cancer and it has now overtaken lung cancer to become the UK’s most common cancer diagnosed in men.
Cases of testicular cancer have risen dramatically in the last 20 years, but the causes of this increase are not known. Thanks to advance made at The Everyman Centre - Europe’s first and only centre dedicated to male cancer and part of The Institute of Cancer Research - testicular cancer is 99% curable if caught early enough. That’s why it is important to make men aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for as early diagnosis can save lives.
-Ends-
For further information about Keep Your Eye On The Ball, male cancer or to request a copy of the images of David James and Sam Allardyce please contact:
Charlotte Muskett
Everyman Press Office
020 153 5312
charlotte.muskett@icr.ac.uk
Note to Editors:
- Keep Your Eye On The Ball was set-up by The Professional Footballers’ Association, The Football Association and The Everyman Male Cancer Campaign four years ago in response to several high profile players being diagnosed with testicular cancer. The aim is to raise awareness of testicular and prostate cancer within the football community. All money raised for the campaign goes directly to research into male cancer at The Everyman Centre – Europe’s first and only centre dedicated to male cancer research and part of The Institute of Cancer Research. Website at: www.keepyoureyeontheball.org