AFTER an enforced pandemic break prostate cancer screenings are returning to the Pirelli Stadium.
Two UHDB Urology clinicians are once more offering community prostate cancer screening after a two-year hiatus.
Jyoti Shah, Macmillan Consultant Urological Surgeon, and Sister Sarah Minns, Macmillan Urology Advanced Nurse Practitioner, have offered prostate cancer screening in the community since 2016 and will be holding their first clinics since February 2020 on April 21 and 22 at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium. Over the two days, it is hoped that more than 100 men aged between 50 – 80 will have a blood test and prostate examination to either catch or rule out potential prostate cancer.
Due to the effects of the pandemic, far fewer cases of prostate cancer cases have been diagnosed in the last two years, and Miss Shah is encouraging men to take action and not to delay in getting checked as soon as possible:
“Now more than ever, it is vital that men who are worried about prostate cancer should get themselves tested. It is estimated that around 14,000 men are living with prostate cancer in the UK without even knowing they have it, which is a frightening figure.
“This is why we’re so pleased to be able to get back out into the community to offer this service once more because if you present with cancer when it’s too late, it is much harder to treat. It really is so important to get yourself checked and we would encourage all men to get themselves booked in for a check.”
Since its inception in 2016, ‘Fighting Prostate Cancer’ has screened more than 2,700 men, successfully diagnosing 84 cases of prostate cancer in 36 such clinics.
Sarah added that it is great to be getting back into the community to provide this potentially life-saving service: “There has been fewer diagnosis of urological cancers since the pandemic began so we are really keen to get back out there in the community to help other men start their treatment or set their minds at ease as soon as we can.
“Pre-Covid, these clinics had become really popular and were a great way for people to get tested closer to their homes – we never realised how successful they would become when we set out. We’re really hoping to restart that momentum and make a difference to people’s lives.”
Burton Albion Chairman Ben Robinson said: “We are delighted to be able to restart prostate cancer screenings at the Pirelli Stadium after the Covid interruption.
“This ground-breaking partnership with Jyoti and her team has helped raise awareness of the dangers of prostate cancer and using the football club to persuade men to have a potentially life-saving check was an innovative and highly successful approach we are proud to have pioneered at Burton Albion.
“I would encourage as many men as possible to take advantage of this latest opportunity.”
Bookings for the clinics on April 21 and 22 are strictly by appointment only. All patients will be asked to answer a set of screening questions regarding Covid-19, and masks must be worn by all in attendance. Social distancing and infection prevention and control measures will also be in place.
To book an appointment, please call 01283 894 602. Anyone who is worried about prostate cancer symptoms should speak to their GP at the earliest possible opportunity.
