Prostate cancer kills almost as many men as breast cancer kills women, and yet 70% of us don’t even know what the prostate is. That's a shocking statistic.

Affecting over 35,000 men in the UK last year, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed male cancer. Men are dying unnecessarily because they are unaware of the symptoms of prostate cancer, and because they are not aware of the risk factors involved. Experts agree that this is partly due to a lack of funding and media attention, and partly because men are not very good at talking about such delicate matters.

The good news is that the earlier prostate cancer is diagnosed, the more likely the success of treatment.

All men, whatever their age, should be aware of their prostate and what can go wrong, in much the same way that women are increasingly aware of their breasts and what they should do if they suspect something has changed.

What actually is the prostate?

Roughly the size of a walnut and situated around the neck of the bladder, the prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system and is vital in the production of semen.

What are the symptoms? Difficulties with urinationLack of satisfying pressureA feeling that the bladder is empty, then needing to pass urine againGetting up to pass urine during the nightAn inability to gain or hold an erectionThe presence of blood in the urine (rare)

It is worth noting that these symptoms are often only present in more advanced cases of prostate cancer, so if there are any concerns involving the prostate, a doctor’s visit should be arranged as soon as possible.

To learn more about prostate cancer, please click here.

If you are affected by prostate cancer and would like support, please click here.

So, what's the plan?

Last year, social entrepreneurs The X Foundation teamed up with Prostate Action and the Prostate Cancer Support Federation to launch Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, which takes place on the day before Father's Day each year. To mark this special day, we stage The Great Drag Race, a spectacular annual fundraising event that aims to radically increase the public's awareness of prostate cancer by providing a platform for men to show that they have issues, too, even if they have to dress up as women to talk about them!

Through the media attention generated, we encourage men to carefully assess their risks of contracting prostate cancer, and we do our best to get everybody talking about the subject so that men feel more comfortable bringing it up with their friends, family or doctor. So far, we've raised over £40,000 to fight prostate cancer and created something very special along the way. We also hold the Guinness World Record for the longest line of dancing drag queens!

What's happening on June 16th, 2012?

June 16th will be the third Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, and to mark this date in the calendar we are once again staging The Great Drag Race. This sponsored walk/run will start and finish in Highbury Fields, and the entry rules are simple. All participants will be asked to raise money for our partner charities via an online sponsorship page, and they will be required to wear flamboyant female clothing for the length of the route. It's that simple. We hope to raise thousands of pounds for research into prostate cancer, and to break our own world record.

The Great Drag Race is open to men of all ages and abilities. The distance is 10.2km, but we want the support of everyone brave enough to take part, even if they can only manage the final ten yards. To help celebrate our achievements, there will be celebrities, guest performances, and a big after-party for all our participants and their friends and families.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Day is an inclusive event, and we invite the support of all
charities concerned with prostate cancer. Please contact us for further details.

What else is going on?

If you would like to organise your own event on June 18th to increase awareness of prostate cancer and to raise much-needed funds, then please get in touch. In future years, we hope that there will be lots of events taking place across the country on Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, which will always take place on the day before Father's Day in the UK.

The X Foundation has also commissioned a feature documentary about this extraordinary event, and the film crew is currently following ten brave men living with prostate cancer as they spend three months training to become drag queens for a special one-off performance to publicise Prostate Cancer Awareness Day and The Great Drag Race. You can watch the 3-minute teaser here.

How can I get involved?

If you are interested in taking part in The Great Drag Race, please click here.

If you are considering putting on your own event for Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, or would like to help us out in any way at all, please get in touch. We are also looking for celebrities and corporate sponsors who would like to be associated with this remarkable event. We hope to hear from you soon.

Please join our mailing list or The Great Drag Race Facebook group for updates about the event.

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