Prostate Cancer Awareness at The Valley
SATURDAY'S game at The Valley is Charlton's Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health Awareness Day.
As part of this activity PSA testing, undertaken by the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, will be available from 12pm-2.45pm for fans of both clubs.
The PSA test is a blood test that can help diagnose prostate problems, including prostate cancer – the most common cancer in men in the UK.
Men over 50, men with a family history of prostate cancer and black men are more at risk of prostate cancer.
You can find out more information about the test by clicking here.
Those having a test will be asked for a minimum £5 donation. The Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal will fund the remainder of the tests’ costs.
Barry Kilby, who stepped down as Chairman of Burnley after being diagnosed, said: “I have advanced Prostate Cancer. Like most men I found.out by accident. As men that’s the problem we have, we’re not very good at getting ourselves tested for anything. The idea we had is that people would come down to the football together to get tested. We set up a fund, raised money through various ways such as bike rides, charity raffles, I even wrote a short story which went on Amazon.
“I’m now vice-chairman at Burnley and we tried it here with great success. We expected maybe 200 people and got more than 1,000. We’ve done it with Preston North End, Ipswich Town and even our rivals Blackburn Rovers, as this is bigger than a football rivalry.
“We push out the premise ‘come down with your mates and get tested’. We ask for a £5 donation and the rest of the cost is covered. We have saved lives. Since we’ve been doing this 40-50 men, were serious and this came out from our testing. There is a red, amber and green coding and it is important for people to know their score. Football is a great way of bringing people together and hopefully we can use that to save lives.”
The blood tests are available from 12noon to 2.45pm and will take place in the Fans’ Bar for Charlton fans. Plymouth Argyle fans will be able to be tested in mobile units in the club’s car park.
Read more about The Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal by clicking here.
Other activities on the day includes a bucket collection for the EFL’s Official Charity Partner, Prostate Cancer UK.