A good time to back Beard Up
SO MANY charities do so much good work in the island, especially those supporting medical matters, it is difficult to single out one in particular.
But as it launches its annual Beard Up campaign it’s timely to recognise the impact of Male Uprising Guernsey.
11 years ago now, a new charity came on the scene, in a shade of sky blue, and made a spectacular impact. With the aim of raising awareness of male cancers and raising £250,000, it smashed both targets pretty quickly, and has gone on to raise more than £1m. over a decade in operation, money used for various purposes, including promotion, education, events, purchasing medical equipment and directly supporting medical services, staff and training.
This particularly matters because enhanced awareness, early detection, and taking quick action, is critical to improve the chances of beating cancer. Prostate cancer accounts for a quarter of all new male cancers, but can be easily tested for. While diagnoses have increased, early detection and effective treatment has improved survival rates drastically.
More than half of bowel cancer cases recorded each year are preventable if caught early enough through the recently reestablished testing programme run locally.
There’s never been a better time for men to be aware of their health and male cancers – and it’s a good time to support Beard Up.