On 19th June during Men’s Health Week (15th to 21st June), two novice cyclists, who discovered the new hobby during lockdown, successfully challenged themselves by taking on an attention-grabbing 120-mile bike ride around the Norfolk and North Suffolk coastline on behalf of Big C.
Simon Gooch, Big C’s Health and Education Office and friend, Aaron Wheaton, both 29, cycled from King’s Lynn to Southwold to raise awareness of male cancers. Both wore bright and striking t-shirts featuring the bold design of a giant pair of testicles.
Simon said, “The idea of the t-shirts is to make sure nobody misses us and we get our message across loud and clear! We want men across the region to be body aware and seek prompt medical support if they are concerned by any symptoms. When cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, treatment is more likely to be successful.” There are around 130 newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer in the UK every day, 6 new cases of testicular cancer and 2 of penile cancer. Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. (Prostate Cancer UK) Simon continues, “There is some positive news amongst these worrying statistics, as the rise in prostate cancer can be partly attributed to the fact that men have become better at seeking medical advice, leading to increased levels of earlier diagnosis. With the intimate nature of male cancers however, some men are worried or embarrassed to seek support. This situation is steadily improving, but there is still some way to go to ensure the best possible outcomes. We hope our cycle-ride will draw attention to this issue and help reinforce this crucial message – Take Action, Talk to Your Doctor.” Dr Melanie Pascale, Director of Charitable Operations at Big C, said “This was a fantastic and timely initiative during Men’s Health Week. The t-shirts are both fun and a very effective way of delivering this crucial message for men’s health and making sure it gets the attention it deserves! A very well done to Simon and Aaron and thank you for your support.” A Big C thank you to Adnams who kindly met Simon and Aaron at the finish line in Southwold with some beer to celebrate! To find out how to access support from Big C please visit support.big-c.co.uk Simon and Aaron are raising funds for Big C . Their target is £966 to represent that more than 966 male cancers are diagnosed each week. If you would like to donate to support Big C’s local work supporting all those affected by cancer, please visit Justgiving.com/menscancer