Blue September Calls To Face Up To Prostate Cancer

Blue September Calls For New Zealand To Face Up To Prostate Cancer For Its Second Year Running

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is about to launch Blue September - a major awareness and fund raising campaign – for its second year running and it has fast gained momentum.

September is international Prostate Cancer awareness month and has become a key focus for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand in publicizing the dangers of the disease, encouraging men to get checked and raising funds for on-going work for prostate cancer in New Zealand.

This year Blue September is again fronted and supported by a group of high profile New Zealanders:
• Paul Holmes
• Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford
• Stu Wilson
• Ruben Wiki
• Sir Richard Hadlee
• Peter Leitch (The Mad Butcher) new-comers this year
• Kerre Woodham (broadcaster) and
• Neemia Tialata (current All Black)

These celebrities appear in the Blue September television commercials running throughout September with their faces painted blue and will also be available for various media interviews and events.

Speaking about the campaign legendary former New Zealand all rounder cricketer Sir Richard Hadlee, aged 58, says:

‘Blokes aren’t good at talking about Prostate Cancer to their doctor or even to their friends. You have to ask yourself how many guys could have been saved in the past if they’d only been aware of the dangers and done something about it? So get real and get blue this September!”

Each year, over 2,500 men in New Zealand are diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 600 die from the disease. Half of these deaths might have been prevented by early detection, so Blue September is encouraging men to face up to prostate cancer and get checked!

100% of donations to Blue September and funds raised at events will go directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is proactive in developing public education and awareness programmes, developing a nationwide network of branch support groups; prostate cancer research projects right through to the lobbying of central government on matters relating to this disease, and donations will be used to continue these activities.

The key message that Barry Young, President of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, hopes to communicate through Blue is for men to get regular checks from the age of 40. In early stages of prostate cancer it does not usually have symptoms so you won’t know unless you get checked.

Throughout September donations can be made online.

Information, Fact sheets and competitions can be found at www.blueseptember.org

The event line-up includes a Cobra Car Tour up the country, a Blue-tie Cocktail Launch Event at SKYCITY on August 30th of September with the Sky Tower turning Blue for the month, Father’s Day ‘Give Your Dad the Finger for Father’s Day promotion’ on September 6th, a number of Dawn Walks on September 13th, Blue Friday on September 25th and SKYCITY’s ‘The Challenge of the Codes’ poker tournament on September 29th.

For more information, interviews, photos or a full line up of events contact Melodie Burton on 09 522 8607 or 021 269 2205 or mel@mwcmedia.co.nz. Or go to www.blueseptember.org.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is a registered New Zealand charity (Registered NZ Charity No. CC30635).

ENDS

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