Last Saturday saw a remarkable event in fact nearly 200 remarkable events! and all over three hours!
Last November the Trust on its welfare section on their website published a considerable amount of information on various health issues and in particular Prostate Cancer ( click HERE), the scourge and major killer each year of men,( one in eight men will actually get prostate cancer each year) coupled to the web information we published is an explanation on a simple test that men can get ( The PSA test or Prostate Specific Antigen Click HERE ) which detects Prostate cancer in its infancy and in most cases leads to successful treatment, it was something which was also very personal to the trust for several reasons and we hoped that it would benefit many.
Little did we know that at the same time the football club had agreed to work with Barry Kilby who had founded the Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal or BKPCA for short.( Click HERE FOR INFO) and its with thanks to Janine Compton from the Kilby Appeal who organised the event, thanks from all involved must go to her .
Barry is vice Chair of Burnley Football club and was hit by the disease without warning, since then and following treatment he has set up his appeal to raise funds to get men tested by the PSA test, which is a simple blood test, hence, the Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal. It is well accepted that though the testing asked for a donation Barry himself funds the operation, many a chap will be counting their blessings that he does.
The club had agreed to facilitate space, and last Saturday at the study centre at the Crown Oil Arena, organised by Frances Fielding along with the club board. We saw leading figures from the club including Keith the manager and his staff, our CEO David Bottomley and other board members including John Smallwood who had been on the official site during the week explaining the importance of the PSA test and how he himself was affected by the disease, its effects and how simple the PSA test was, CLICK here to see Johns Video.
Dales, CEO David Bottomley getting done!
The trust was asked if we could help with marshalling the queues and in general be there to assist, something we were happy to do, especially as we know from analysis of our website section on the subject, it had been and continues to be hit with people reading the information.
With professional health officials and supported by the East Lancs Prostate Cancer Support Group the session ran smoothly and efficiently.
So why did we start this article with words stating 200 remarkable events?
Well it is really very simple, men traditionally do not go to the doctors when they should, we (blokes) leave things alone hope things will go away, well on Saturday 200 blokes decided to take their heads out of the sand and get tested, and with the trust constantly emphasising on its own welfare site to visit your GP as soon as you can it was remarkable that 200 actually decided to get something done now, before it becomes too late. Without doubt the event will have saved lives and we will bring you the stats on the data of positives arising from testing when we can. So 200 plus blokes, 200 little remarkable events.
With our manager and staff and board members getting tested first (it made for good publicity
and that’s what is needed in this fight) we the trust were determined to lead the way from the rank and file and get in first, if for nothing else to show our own commitment to the issue, so yours truly below from the welfare section on the trust board went first
closely followed by Scot, our membership secretary and Trust chairman Colin we made sure that we went first, followed later by our Logistics officer, Mr Logistics, who made a mad dash from his work to get tested.
It was great that our Manager Keith Hill lead the team first and seen below with some of the chaps and trust members who went on the day
Seen above with Keith and intrepid Trust members are John Smallwood who features in our piece and who’s video was on the Official Dale site, some of the brave lads who turned up, and above all, the lad in the Orange Top was from the East Lancs Prostate Support Group, who, along with other volunteers made it all work smoothly, they ALL had first hand experience and we are grateful for them sharing and helping on the day.
It’s with great thanks to Leighanne Coyle from the club that we have some good photos from the day, which we include here with this post (with permission from the club) to show our testing endeavours.
But it was not about us showing off, or the club getting tested first, it was about the fact that One in Eight men each year develop the disease, and it can be treated if we get there first, the PSA test does just that, so if statistics run true to form we will have saved the lives of approximately 20 blokes, which is some mean achievement.
From the trust point of view it was especially satisfying to see the Club and the Trust work so well together to make this a very successful day for the Kilby appeal and to get over 200 blokes, many not supporters, but just chaps from the community who had seen club, trust and local news media publicising the event.
A special mention here needs to go to the volunteers from the East Lancs Prostate Support Group, who if truth be told actually marshaled all of us arround and made it work, the group, based at Burnley General Mackenzie suit meet every month, not to far really for locals from Rochdale to travel, they provide a wealth of information themselves and we have mentioned them in our signposting section and Prostate section of the Trust web site, but for those that may be interested you can find more about the group here HERE
Above, our Manager Keith Hil with some of the lads who turned up to get tested, and yes, lurking at the back is the Trust Chair Col Cavanagh, it was great to see Keith on the day and he stayed as long as he could supporting and chatting and at times reassuring the blokes who came
The trust will be putting a link next week on the Daletrust welfare section ( Daletrust.co.uk then click welfare) about the East Lancs Prostate Support Group but for now information can be obtained on Prostate Cancer, the PSA TEST and the Kilby appeal by clicking the links in the section above and the links at the end
There are many more photos from the day on the Kilby Appeal Facebook page, click here to spot some of those tested
The trust had liased with Julia Owen from the Kilby appeal and her info is below for those who may wish to get involved, the trust is appreciates her efforts and imput to the day, especially the coffee for frozen trust staff!!
However the whole event from the Barry Kilby Side was organised by Janine Compton, and though mentioned above I am sure all of those tested, worked on the event from the Kilby appeal and ithose involved from the Dale side who were involved send a special thank you.
If your interested in the appeal then contact Julia, her details are below
Julia Owen
Fundraiser
Detect Early, Survive Longer
The Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal
To end this piece, the information on the trust site can be found in the links below and can be freely copied if you need too, but maybe give us a little credit? please (Dale Supporters Trust)
The trust thanks go to all of the Staff at Rochdale AFC for making this day work,
But a special thank you to
Barry Kilby,
You will have saved a life
as your buzz line says
“Detect Early, Survive Longer” (we are going to nick that line by the way, it says it all)
Many Thanks Barry from every one of us who got tested on that day
Daletrust Prostate Link HERE
Daletrust PSA Link HERE
Rochdale AFC Link HERE
And also HERE
East Lancs Support Group HERE
Prostate Cancer UK HERE
Barry Kilby Appeal HERE
Kilby Facebook Photos! HERE
Finally
If you are unsure about yourself, feel different down below, blood in urine etc
GO AND SEE YOUR GP
You will almost certainly get the best treatment and reassurance and may even save your life.
The Dale trust welfare section has a confidential help line where you can get our support and guidance in signposting you, or just a place to talk, its in confidence and can be found here