12:40pm Thursday 25th June 2009
By Liz Watkins
A CHARITABLE trust is offering men in Herefordshire the chance to be tested for early signs of prostate cancer.
Those aged between 45 and 79 are said to be in the age group most vulnerable to the disease.
The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, based in Warwick, is offering blood tests in Hereford on Saturday, August 22, and say up to 30,000 men in the county are in the ‘at risk’ category.
The trust, set up by Graham and Sue Fulford after losing a friend and relative from prostate cancer, believes that routine testing – like that of cervical and breast cancer screening for women – could lead to early diagnosis and avoid some of the 10,000 deaths from the disease every year.
The Government has so far declined to introduce regular testing for men and the trust has itself set about raising prostate cancer awareness and offering free PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) tests.
It has already held many tests at centres in Worcestershire and other parts of the country and now wants to help men in Herefordshire.
Retired civil engineer John Nutland, from Kidderminster, a supporter of the charity who knows the county well, said he did not want men in Herefordshire to be “left out”.
He has been drumming up support and promoting the prostate awareness campaign at clubs and workplaces.
Consultant David Baxter- Smith, a former general surgeon at Kidderminster General Hospital and a founder of the Kidderminster Prostate Cancer Support Group, now travels round the country with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust arranging for men to have the test.
He said it was not a perfect test, occasionally giving a false result, but a raised level of antigen in the blood indicated there could be a disorder in the prostate gland which needed further investigation.
The trust raises money to pay for the tests and anyone who would like to support the scheme, or men interested in having the test or needing more information, can call Joan and John Nutland on 01562 823609 or email joan nutland@hotmail.co.uk.
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