Blue September - facing up to cancer in men!
NEIL KELLY CONQUERS FOUR CHALLENGES ON BEHALF OF BLUE SEPTEMBER!
Neil Kelly, the Foundation Director of Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation, has taken on a series of personal challenges to raise money for Blue September. One a week for the whole of September!
Starting on the 4th September, Neil’s first challenge was the NorthWest Triathalon – a 8 mile swim, a 44 mile cycle and a 3.5 mile swim, which Neil completed in 1 hour 24 minutes. Pretty impressive! But not content with this, Neil continued with challenge two: this time the Hell Up North run – a 12 mile forest run through bogs, ditches and hills. He completed in 2 hours 4 minutes, despite getting stuck briefly in a bog and coming to the aid of a fellow competitor!
The English Half Marathon in Warrington was next – and the Warrington Wolves Foundation offered Blue September support via their Young trustees who painted wolf paw shaped prints in blue on their faces whilst manning the refreshment stand. This was Neil’s third year in the race and despite a mere 5 days after his last challenge he completed in 1hour 45.
And finally, Neil really did turn blue – LITERALLY – when he took part in the Great Scottish Swim in the loch at Strathclyde on the 25th September. It was freezing, with temperatures at their lowest ever, a blue-tinged 12.8 degrees.
Neil’s donating half of funds raised to Blue September, with the other half going towards the work of the Warrington Wolves Foundation. Neil says “I’ve always liked a challenge and tried to stay fit, but I’ve never done so may challenges so close together! When I heard about the Blue September campaign I felt it tied in brilliantly with what we’re trying to do at Wolves. Over my time there I’ve really seen the positive influence that sport can have on health issues, and I know people who have been affected by cancer, as most people do, so I’m pleased to be able to do something for this cause.”
Many thanks for your hard work Neil – at least it’s nearly October, so you can have a rest!
INTUITIVE AND BLUE SEPTEMBER!
Blue September and its partner Intuitive have worked together with various hospitals across the country to stage a series of events raising funds and awareness for the campaign.
The events have varied in nature according to the hospital – some have been aimed at medical professionals, some at the general public and all have done
an excellent job of promoting Blue September’s key messages.
Perhaps most exciting has been the chance to get up close with Intuitive’s
daVinci robot, which is at the forefront of the treatment of particularly of prostate
cancer with robotic surgery.
The Wellington hospital offered staff and members of the public the chance to use the training simulator and see the control mechanisms for themselves, as well as meeting former Chelsea player Paul Canoville (pictured to the right).
Royal Berkshire took the robot to Reading Station to involve commuters on their way to work; Royal Liverpool
staged a successful event in the hospital foyer attended by former Liverpool player Alan Kennedy; whilst the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital took their robot to the Wulfrun Shopping Centre to interact with the local community.
All of the twelve hospital events were key in promoting
Blue September to healthcare professionals and the
local community.
The first two men to be operated on by the daVinci robot at Royal Liverpool Hospital agreed to paint a blue number 1 and 2 on their foreheads along with the famous ‘number 3’ Alan Kennedy at Royal Liverpool today. Seen here with their surgeon Robin Weston and fellow robotic surgeon Phil Cornford. Check out the photos from the Royal Liverpool Hospital event here.
Pictured from left to right: Robin Weston, Alan Ingham, Alan Kennedy, Jim Hayden and Phil Cornford.
WINDSOR HOSPITAL TEAM ‘GO BLUE’ TO RAISE FUND FOR MALE CANCER
Staff and patients at BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital turned blue to raise funds and awareness of male cancers on BLUE FRIDAY (Friday 30th September 2011). The team raised nearly £100 which will be donated to the Men’s Health Forum.
Staff at the hospital paid £1 to wear blue or to paint their faces blue. Staff sold blue iced cakes and ran a competition for the most creatively decorated blue department – which was won by the Oncology Department. One of the hospital’s Consultant Urologists, Marc Laniado gave a presentation to staff to help raise awareness of the symptoms and signs of prostate cancer.
Elizabeth Paske, Director of Nursing for BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital says: “154,000 men a year are diagnosed with cancer in the UK and 81,000 of them die of this disease. Men in the UK are about 60% more likely to develop one of the cancers that affect both men and women, such as lung or bowel cancer and men are about 70% more likely to die from one of these cancers. “
Elizabeth continues: “I was so pleased to see our staff get passionately involved with Blue Friday. It is important to raise awareness of male cancers with our staff, but crucially our patients also need to know the signs and symptoms. Many male cancer deaths can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices and early detection. We want to help provide staff and patients with the information they need to aid cancer prevention.”
The Blue September campaign, initiated by the charity the Men’s Health Forum, encourages men to face up to cancer and was launched in England and Wales at the start of September. Blue September is the first national campaign to increase men’s awareness of all cancers - including lung, prostate, bowel, and melanoma - and the lifestyle choices men can make to reduce their risk. It also encourages men to seek medical advice as soon as possible if they have a worrying symptom.
FOOTBALL TEAMS GO ALL OUT FOR BLUE SEPTEMBER
Blue September has received great support from football teams this year, (our first in the UK) with loads of clubs organising Blue September themed match days and players lending their names and voices to the campaign.
On Saturday Oldham Athletic held a Blue September themed match for their game at home against Brentford. The club had a photoshoot featuring first team players, the youth team, manager and assistants all with blue faces. On match day the cheerleaders and catering staff carried on the theme and there as face painting for fans at the ground.
Meanwhile, Blue September was being embraced by Pompey fans too. Prior to Portsmouth’s match against Blackpool, Pompey fans met at the Spinnaker Tower in the city to get their faces painted blue and march to the game! The first ten fans to arrive got a free match ticket. There was also a message from Blue September supporter and former-Pompey player John Aloisi played on the big screen pre-match, and on Tuesday there will be a bucket collection at the ground with proceeds going to our charity partner the Men’s Health Forum.
Crystal Palace got in on the act at their home game against Middlesborough. They devoted a page of the match day programme to Blue September, had facepainting at the ground, content on their website AND a competition to win a signed Palace shirt. All fans had to do was identify the player in the blue morph suit. Can you?
INTUITIVE, HOSPITALS AND BLUE SEPTEMBER UNITE IN THE FACE OF CANCER IN MEN
Monday saw the beginning of a series of hospital events held jointly between the hospital, Intuitive and Blue September, kicking off with events at Guys Hospital in London and the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
At Guys, an audience of medical professionals spent the afternoon involved in sessions around the theme of “Practice Safely - but not on Your Patients”. The afternoon was organised by Professor Prokar Dasgupta and was attended by Adrian Joyce the president of BAUS (Bristish Association of Urologists) and several other BAUS members.
The afternoon was finished with a talk on the Blue September campaign by Claire McCarthy, the UK campaign manager and a speech from former Charlton goalkeeper Nicky Johns. Nicky has been a great supporter of the campaign, and has had personal experience of the devastating effects of cancer through the sad and untimely loss of his son Stephen to bowel cancer at the age of 26. The Mr Brightside Project was set up in Stephen’s memory and has goals that tie in to those of Blue September. www.mrbrightsideproject.co.uk
Prokar Dasgupta, Nicky Johns, Claire McCarthy and Sultan Torshkhoev from the Men’s Health Forum had their faces painted blue along with the BAUS delegates – see the photo below!
Meanwhile at Reading Station, the Royal Berkshire Hospital and Intuitive held a Blue September event on the concourse. Members of the public could see the daVinci robot at first hand and find out about treatment options and preventative measures. Even comedian Lenny Henry stopped by to take a look!
Check out the photo above, and click here to see a video showing the da Vinci robot at work.
Pictured from left to right: Johan Poulsen - Consultant Urological Surgeon, King's College London and Aalborg, Denmark, Prokar Dasgupta - Professor of Robotic Surgery and Urological Innovation, Guy's Hospital, Kings College London, Nicky Johns - Former Charlton Goalkeeper, representing Crystal Palace Foundation and the Mr. Brightside Project, Mohammad Shamim Khan - Consultant Urological Surgeon and Hon. Senior Lecturer, Guy's Hospital, Kings College London, Kieran O'Flynn - BAUS Trustee, SAC Chairman and Consultant Urological Surgeon, Manchester, Claire McCarthy - Campaign Manager, Blue September UK, Bill Dunsmuir - Consultant Urological Surgeon, Ashford, Sultan Torshkhoev - Head of Business and Service Development, Men's Health Forum, Ben Challacombe - Consultant Urological Surgeon and Hon. Senior Lecturer, Guy's Hospital, Kings College London.
BRITISH ARMED FORCES GO BLUE 
Meanwhile, the Army have also been active. Thanks to the The Army and Navy have been doing their bit to raise cancer awareness during Blue September.Staff at HMS Temeraire have been painting their faces blue; while some of the ship’s company
of HMS Somerset, who are on deployment in the Middle East,
wore blue during an unusual work out session – a spot of zumba
in the middle of the Red Sea!
support of Captain Steve Caldwell, Blue September posters
will be appearing at numerous Army football and rugby league games throughout the month; and when Alan Fletcher (Dr Karl in Neighbours) was in the UK at the start of the month he was interviewed on Garrison FM, the Army’s radio station.
What’s more, Blue September was featured on the British Forces Broadcasting Service this week in their regular medical slot. The piece covered the campaign, cancer symptoms, lifestyle changes and advice for soldiers, so all bases covered - just as you’d expect from the military!
Check out the British Forces News HERE
Thanks for doing your bit to get the message out there lads!
GREATER MANCHESTER GETS BLUE!
Players and representatives from 6 professional and semi-professional football clubs across Greater Manchester have come together to demonstrate
their support for Blue September and the Greater Manchester Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.
Representatives from Bury FC, FC United of Manchester, Oldham Athletic FC, Rochdale AFC, Salford City FC and Stockport County along with
Jenny Aindow from the Bowel Screening Campaign and Louise Robbins from the Greater Manchester Network of Sport and Health all had their photo taken with their faces painted blue!
The Captain of Wigan Warriors Rugby League, Sean O’Loughlin had his face painted blue as part of the international campaign. Check out his Blue September video HERE
Louise Robbins from Greater Manchester Network of Sport and Health said ‘I am delighted that so many sports clubs across several sports have come together to support Blue September. Greater Manchester are only too happy to help deliver key health messages to audiences that are often untapped by the health sector.’
Pictured from right to left: Richie Barker, Bury FC Manager, Matthew Glennon, Stockport County GK, Brian Barry-Murphy, Rochdale AFC midfielder, Vinny Suggitt, Rochdale AFC Community Foundation, Reece Gray, Rochdale AFC, striker, Rhodri Giggs, Salford City FC Player-Manager, Roy Soule – FC United Assistant Manager, Martin Vose – Oldham Athletic Community Trust, Wendy Noble – Oldham Athletic Community Trust, Jenny Aindow Bowel Screening Campaign, Louise Robbins Greater Manchester Network of Sport and Health.
PORTSMOUTH CITY TURNS BLUE!
Portsmouth’s iconic landmark the Spinnaker Tower turns blue for September!
In a joint effort to raise awareness throughout Portsmouth, the Spinnaker
Tower will be lit blue on the 12th, 17th and 19th September while Portsmouth
FC encourages fans to paint their faces blue for one of the club’s home games to help raise awareness.
Former Pompey player John Aloisi has recorded a special message
to all fans, which will be shown on the big screen during the game
at Fratton Park on September 24.
Clare Martin, head of community projects at Portsmouth FC, said
“I hope that Blue September will encourage the male population of
the city to visit their GP. It’s fantastic that Pompey is supporting this
initiative, as this is an important cause, which is why the club is
proud to be supporting it.”
Neighbours star Alan Fletcher, who plays Dr Karl Kennedy recently visited theUK to launch our cancer charity, Blue September. ‘What’s on TV’ caught up with Alan to find out more and to have a quick Q&A with the Blue September supporter himself!
CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE THE FULL STORY…
WATCH HERE
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