The inaugural Blue September Ireland aims to challenge Irish men to face up to cancer. Blue September is a growing global initiative that encourages men to be more aware of their health and more pro-active in protecting themselves against preventable and treatable diseases. Blue September Ireland will raise awareness of bowel, lung, prostate and testicular cancer, while fundraising for the following Irish charities; Cancer Care West, The Marie Keating Foundation, The Mater Foundation and The Mercy Hospital Foundation.
Key supporters of this year’s campaign include An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Bernard Jackman, Trent Johnson, Karl Henry, Mr.Gerry McEntee – Consultant Surgeon at the Mater Hospital, and the Munster Leinster, and Connacht Rugby teams.
Blue September first launched in New Zealand in 2008 and has since then extended to Australia, America, and now the UK and Ireland. The aim of Blue September is to challenge Irish men to take note of the cancers most likely to affect them, to become increasingly aware of their health and to be more open to discussing health concerns with family or friends. In general men are less likely to seek advice from a qualified health professional and by and large have a more pessimistic view of their chances in relation to treatment i.e. ‘it will probably be bad news so I would rather not know’. Each year 2,720 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer with 543 deaths, while 2,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer with 650 deaths; however breast cancer has a much higher profile in terms of media coverage and general awareness in comparison to prostate cancer.
Prof. Frank Sullivan, Consultant Radiation Oncologist said, “we whole-heartedly welcome Blue September to Ireland to encourage men to face up to cancer and be more aware of preventative measures that can be taken. Men can not afford to be embarrassed when it comes to issues in relation to their health, they need to discuss any concerns with their GP and their loved ones.”
Blue September Ireland is encouraging those who wish to support the campaign to host a blue event, by either painting their faces blue one day in September, hosting a blue themed day in work or to create a completely new blue idea to raise vital funds. Key Blue September events taking place across the country include the Dingle Marathon, the Kilmacud Football 7’s, the Blue September Dip in the Nip on September 25 and Blue September Comedy Nights in the Roisin Dubh Galway, the Laughter Lounge Dublin on September 29th and the Cork City Limits on September 30th. Blue September Ireland has received support from key sponsors including Unislim, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Varian, Takeda, Astellas, Expresso Ads and Newstalk.
Unislim have designed a limited edition healthy eating plan – ‘Food Max For Men’ written for men. This plan will not only help men to lose weight, it will boost their health and increase their energy levels, meaning they will feel fitter, leaner and stronger while adding years to their lives. The ‘Food Max for Men’ plan has loads of fantastic hints and tips and a great 7-day meal planner with tasty recipes. The healthy eating plans are available to purchase online at www.unislim.com or at any Unislim class nationwide. All proceeds will go directly to Blue September. Visit www.blueseptember.ie for more details.
