Bradford City fans raised an impressive £1,183.36 for Prostate Cancer UK during their match day collection on 21 October in a bid to relegate a disease that kills one man every 45 minutes.
The Bantams were one of 11 clubs to host match days and generous supporters helped raise a combined total of more than £11,000 as part of a continued programme of events with the Official Charity Partner of the EFL, Prostate Cancer UK.
Supporters from City's opponents on the day, Charlton Athletic, also chipped in with a life-saving contribution on a successful afternoon.
Together fans of the Championship, League One and League Two clubs have raised vital funds which will go towards improving diagnosis, treatment, prevention and support to ultimately help stop prostate cancer being a killer.
James Beeby, Director of Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “The power of football consistently helps us reach out to men and their friends and families, and we are very grateful for the continued backing from Bradford City and Charlton Athletic as well as many other clubs across the EFL and beyond.
“One man dies every 45 minutes from this disease. That’s two men during a football match, so we’re grateful once again that Bantams and Addicks fans have joined the fight against prostate cancer to raise vital funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
“The money raised by clubs and their fantastic fans will fund ground-breaking research to help fight the disease. That will help us provide dedicated support and information to men and their families affected by this disease. We thank everyone involved for helping us relegate prostate cancer.”
As well as fans generously donating on the day, managers from across the football fraternity, including Bradford City boss Stuart McCall, have also been getting behind the cause by wearing the iconic Prostate Cancer UK ‘Man of Men’ pin badge and speaking out about the disease that affects one in eight men in the UK, a statistic that worsens to one in four if you are a black man.
McCall said: "Bradford City have proudly worked alongside Prostate Cancer UK for many years now from several successful match day collections to bike rides to Amsterdam, and it was brilliant to see Jeff Stelling lead an army of walkers to Valley Parade in June.
“Football is such a great way of spreading serious messages, such as the dangers of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men. Hearing that one man dies every 45 minutes from the disease – two in the course of a match - is truly shocking. 330,000 men will be affected by prostate cancer; that’s 13 times the capacity of Valley Parade. We need to turn this around.
“I’m delighted to wear the Prostate Cancer UK Man of Men pin badge on the touchline to show my support, and team up with my fellow managers to make the statement that this deadly opponent will not defeat us.”
This support from clubs and their fans is set to continue into 2018 as a new line-up of Prostate Cancer UK match day fixtures will soon be unveiled at clubs up and down the country. New dates will be announced soon and the charity are urging fans and people in the local community to join the fight and help at a local game. You can register interest at prostatecanceruk.org/matchdays.
Many people are unaware that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It’s a huge issue that cannot be ignored. One man will die from prostate cancer every 45 minutes in the UK. That’s over 11,000 men a year. Based on current trends, if we ignore prostate cancer and do nothing, this number will rise to over 14,500 men a year by 2026.
Details will soon be available about the 2018 games, where you can find the nearest match to volunteer and get a free ticket to the game, visit: prostatecanceruk.org/matchdays.
Additionally, to show your support and get Prostate Cancer UK’s ‘Man of Men’ badge to wear with pride, text BADGE to 70004 to donate £5* and help stop prostate cancer being a killer. For information about the badge and the charity’s work in football visit prostatecanceruk.org/whostheman
* Text costs £5 plus network charge. Prostate Cancer UK receives 100% of your donation. Obtain bill payers permission. Customer care 0800 082 1616. Charity No 1005541.