12 June 2023
A perfect match against prostate cancer
One Australian man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every 22 minutes, and this week to mark Men’s Health Week (June 12-18) local warriors will be tackling 22km to fight back against the disease.
The event is being run by Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA), with all donations doubled for prostate cancer research.
The event aims to drive awareness while raising funds for lifesaving research, with regional men facing a 24 per cent increased risk of death from the disease.
Campaign ambassador and Tyrepower spokesperson, Rob Smith, urged people to get involved.
“At 54, I was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive prostate cancers you can have. I was one of the men diagnosed every 22 minutes in Australia,” Mr Smith said.
“I was grateful my operation and subsequent treatment came at a time when I had access to cutting edge robotic surgery and physiotherapists.
“But the high prevalence of prostate cancer means that more than 3,500 men in our community still die from the disease every year.
“As an ambassador for PCFA, I know more must be done to accelerate research that can help us achieve the goal of zero deaths in my lifetime.
“It’s going to take money to get researchers into labs and for clinical trials.”
PCFA CEO, Anne Savage, said community action was key to early detection and survival.
“We’ve come a long way over the years, but more men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, which means we have to double our efforts,” she said.
“There’s still time to sign up to support our Perfect Match this week, to help us raise awareness and save lives through research.
“Our aim is to raise $500,000 for Australian-based prostate cancer research and clinical trials, and we’d love to see more locals get on board.
“People can join as individuals or teams, and tackle 22km or choose their own challenge.”
To sign up or donate, go to www.perfectmatch.org.au.
For more information call PCFA on 1800 22 00 99.
Tyrepower, Hire Hubby and Tabcorp are supporting the matched campaign, alongside Icon Cancer Centre who has come on board as a prize partner.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact:
Laura Howden | 0468 788 609
