On June 4th Victoria Park will be the scene of a men only fun run raising funds to, ahem, tackle testicular cancer.

The run is being called the One Ball Run, but far from excluding anyone, male runners of all abilities and backgrounds are invited to take part. The event will also benefit local children as runners will be invited to bring along a sports ball of their choice which will be donated to a local school or youth group.

Director of fund raising at Everyman, Phillip Black said, ‘One Ball is a fantastic event which will not only raise plenty of money for Everyman but will also benefit the local community’.
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting men aged 15-45 years old and the Institute of Cancer Research estimate that a massive 2000 men a year develop the disease. Despite the figures and a recent increase in reported cases awareness about this particular cancer is very low, which is something the organisers of the event are hoping to address. Junior Communications Officer Sushila Snell, 25, said, ‘Everyman aims to break the taboos surrounding prostate and testicular cancer and raise awareness of them’.

The Everyman group was formed in 1997 as part of the Institute of Cancer Research to help to raise awareness of cancers affecting men. The money raised at the One Ball Run event will contribute to the research into an eventual cure for the disease.

ADAM’S STORY

Adam was just sixteen when he attended a school assembly talk on testicular cancer. ‘I didn’t really know anything about testicular cancer before then,’ says the student, ‘but afterwards I made a habit of checking myself pretty regularly’.

It was a few months after when Adam first noticed a lump in one of his testicles; he went straight to his GP and was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Sushila Snell, a Communications Officer for the Everyman group stresses the importance of regular checks, ‘It is essential to check yourself regularly to become familiar with the size, shape and weight of each testicle. Then if anything feels different or abnormal you will know immediately and can go straight to your doctor’.

DIY exams are the best way to beat the big C. Early signs to watch for include a lump in either testicle, any enlargement of a testicle, or a dull ache in the abdomen or groin. Adam was lucky to have caught the disease early and underwent surgery to have the lump removed: My doctor told me that if I had come two weeks later my treatment would have been a lot more intense’, he said.

Testicular cancer is rare and is 99 percent curable if caught in the early stages but awareness of the disease is low and men often feel uncomfortable about discussing health problems with anyone, least of all their GP.

Adam was fortunate, in attending a school talk he knew what to look out for, ‘I am now fully recovered’, he grins. Adam is now studying at Bournemouth University.

To take part in the One Ball Run or for more information on testicular and prostate cancer contact Everyman on 0800 731 9468 or www.oneball.org.uk