Messages of hope in aid of prostate cancer

Words by Smiley Team

A group of female celebrities are broaching the topic of prostate cancer with messages of hope ahead of Father’s Day on 19 June.

On average, more than 50,000 new cases of prostate cancer are discovered each year, according to Cancer Research UK, with one in six males being diagnosed in their lifetime.

That’s why it’s amazing to see people working to bring awareness to prostate cancer, and the steps that can be taken to prevent it from affecting more lives.

While someone diagnosed with prostate cancer can live with the illness for 10 years or more, it can still be fatal, with almost 12,000 people dying each year. And an early diagnosis is key.

‘THE SIT DOWN’

To raise awareness, three female celebrities whose lives have been affected by the diagnoses of loved ones are coming together to talk about their stories. ‘The Sit Down’ which launched on 7 June 2022 gives broadcaster Jenny Powell, Coronation Street actress Katie McGlynn and Love Islander and model Arabella Chi the chance to get brutally honest with their audience.

“I’m happy we’re here today to kind of represent the women who are affected by it,” explained Katie. “We don’t have prostates, but we’re still affected.”

For Jenny and Katie their lives have been touched by loss at the hands of prostate cancer. Katie’s grandfather passed away of prostate cancer seven years ago, and Jenny now faces her first Father’s Day without her dad, who sadly died just nine months ago.

ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION

For these three women, ‘The Sit Down’ isn’t just about celebrating the lives of those they lost, or those that were saved thanks to treatment, it is about encouraging people across the nation to take action.

With their honesty, they’re empowering people to take their lives into their own hands and get tested regularly, so that the cancer can be caught before it becomes life threatening.

Organised by Prostate Cancer UK, this is the latest bid to bring attention to the disease which affects so many lives worldwide. Along with the stories of heartbreak, these three women bring a message of hope to those whose lives are being affected by prostate cancer right now.

“They were both diagnosed in 2013,” Arabella said of her father and uncle, who were diagnosed with and have since survived prostate cancer. “I went to Love Island in 2019. [They] wouldn’t have ever seen that part of my life.”

“What we need is money,” added Katie, as the trio spoke of the ways to prevent late prostate cancer diagnoses. “To create this test … so that they’re still here.”

You can watch the full video above.