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We would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who came together to help out and take part in the first ever Great Drag Race on June 19th. By combining our effort, commitment, and positive energy, we raised an estimated £20,000 and a great deal of awareness for our prostate cancer charities, and we created something very special along on the way - not to mention the fact that we doubled the world record for the longest line of dancing drag queens with 128 participants.
Rest assured, we will be doing everything in our power to double the size of event next year. In the meantime, you can see the official photos from the event here, and you can upload your own photos and videos here.
Next year's event will take place on June 18th.
If you would like register early for next year's Great Drag Race, please send us an email and we will add you to the list.
Our film crew followed ten brave men living with prostate cancer as they spent three months training to become drag queens in order to promote Prostate Cancer Awareness Day and The Great Drag Race in the most funny and flamboyant way possible. These pictures are from their first photo shoot. The film will be completed later in the year.
What is The Great Drag Race?
The Great Drag Race is a spectacular new annual fundraising event that aims to radically increase the public's awareness of prostate cancer. Hundreds of men of all shapes and sizes descend on London, where they each walk or run for 10.2km wearing a wig and a frock in order to drag the issue into the spotlight. That's one long stride for each of the 10,200 men lost to the disease each year.
Why is this necessary?
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. 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.
What are we going to do about it?
Social entrepreneurs The X Foundation have teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Support Federation to address this problem by launching Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, which always takes place the day before Father's Day. To mark this special day, we stage The Great Drag Race in order to make an almighty song and dance about it.
The Great Drag Race provides 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.
How does it work?
The entry rules are simple. All participants are asked to raise some money for our prostate cancer charities via an online sponsorship page, and they are required to wear flamboyant female clothing for the length of the route. It's that simple.
The Great Drag Race is open to men of all ages and abilities. The distance is 10.2km, but we need 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 is an after-party for all our participants and their friends and families.
How can I get involved?
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. If you are interested in helping out or taking part in next year's race, please send us an email or join our mailing list.
Please join our mailing list or The Great Drag Race Facebook group for updates about the event.
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