The owner of a fitness studio has hosted a successful health screening for men, which she organised after her brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.
Emma Atkinson, the owner of the Fitology Studio, together with the Suffolk Prostate Cancer Support, organised a prostate cancer blood screening to raise awareness among men and collect money for the CHAPS, Prostate Cancer Charity.
Emma’s brother, Chris Spall, was only 47 years old when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the Ipswich Town FC event last year.
He said: “It’s now six months since my radical prostatectomy, and I am feeling quite well. If it was not for my mum encouraging me to go to the CHAPS event, I would not be here today, which is quite a sobering thought.
“Because of my age, Addenbrooke's Hospital is now looking into my family history to see if there is any connection to genetics.”
Emma said: “The event went very smoothly. 150 men attended and received a talk about the test, cancer, symptoms as well as prognosis – great simple information.
“It’s all about getting information out there, people talking, raising awareness and ultimately saving lives.”
Professor Chris Booth, CHAPS clinical leader and a retired consultant urologist from Dedham, also took part in the event, encouraging men to protect themselves against the “serial killer”.
CHAPS Charity has been running the screening programme across Suffolk and Essex, as well as nationally, to raise awareness among men and gather life-saving data.
Every year in the UK, more than 12,000 men die from prostate cancer, while 50,000 new cases are diagnosed. Blood tests remain the simplest cancer screening method.
Chris said: “I would encourage any man over the age of 40 to come forward for a PSA test. It is simple and takes less than five minutes. CHAPS do a wonderful job and as a charity, they are so needed as there is not a national screening programme in place. Thank you, mum, and thank you CHAPS.”
Last weekend, the studio also celebrated its first birthday and organised a fundraising 12-hour fitness class marathon. The participants have collected more than £1,100 that will go to the CHAPS Charity.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here