PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND PICK UP YOUR HEALTH:
New campaign urges men to check their testicles
One minute could save your life, according to a new campaign to help raise awareness of testicular cancer, which is calling on men to put down their phones and check their bits.
The advice comes after a YouGov poll found that over two thirds of men (68%) check their phones multiple times a day – scrolling TikTok, YouTube, and other social platforms – and 49% check sport scores more than once a week, but only 36% check their testicles weekly and 41% rarely. Shockingly, one in five admitted they never check at all.
A group of men standing in front of a red van
AI-generated content may be incorrect.
The Ball Bus-ter Tour and bright pink van has hit the road this month to encourage men to self-check (photo: Glen Minikin)
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 34, with around 2,400 cases diagnosed annually in the UK (source: Nuffield Health).
The poll of approximately 2,000 men was commissioned by HECK! Food, whose co-founder Jamie Keeble was diagnosed with the disease in 2015 and revealed that despite growing awareness on social media and in the news, men are still reluctant to check.
To tackle this, HECK! is teaming up with testicular cancer charity Cahonas to launch the CHECK! campaign this November for Men’s Health Month, to raise awareness about testicular cancer and shout about the benefits of self-checks and early detection.
The Yorkshire sausage and burger firm has renamed its chicken sausage packs from HECK! to CHECK!, featuring the message “Don’t be a chicken – check!” and a QR code linking to life-saving information on the Cahonas website. A portion of proceeds from every pack sold will be donated to the charity.
The campaign also includes the Ball Bus-ter Tour – a bright pink minibus featuring a giant chicken and the CHECK! logo – visiting Glasgow, London and Leeds. The bus will offer men the chance to speak with a nurse and Cahonas members about self-checks and early detection.
Ritchie Marshall, Founder and CEO of Cahonas, said: “We spend half our lives glued to our phones, scrolling through endless updates, but barely a minute checking what really matters. At Cahonas, we want men to put down the phone and have a quick check of their testicles to make sure everything is as it should be. It only takes a minute, but that minute could save your life.
“We are proud to work with HECK! again and this November as they rebrand to CHECK! to help spark conversations and remind men to take action.”
Jamie Keeble, co-founder of HECK!, said: “This research shows that awareness is key, which is why we’re launching our campaign and taking our pink bus out on the road. Testicular cancer is on the rise and men can reduce their chances of dying simply by knowing what to feel for.
“I found a small lump and immediately went to my GP and received my diagnosis. Even though a lot of stigma surrounds going to the doctor for such an intimate area, it’s vital to be proactive if you find a lump. I’m now fully recovered and my wife and I have a child – something I’m incredibly grateful for.”
HECK! co-founder Jamie Keeble with wife Liv and daughter Sienna (photo: Glen Minikin)
Paul McCaffrey, 41, from Glasgow, was diagnosed with testicular cancer after developing a painful groin when he was 30. He says: “I started to feel a dull ache in my groin, but I just ignored it hoping it would go away. I had been training for a charity run and I just thought the pain was linked to that, but it started to get worse, so I started googling testicular cancer.”
Paul, who has two children, Lochlan, 15, and Emmylou, 7, with his wife Pamela, 42, adds: “I came across the Cahonas Scotland website and followed their instructions on how to self-check. That’s when I found a lump in my testicle.
Paul lost his hair while being treated for testicular cancer
“I then booked a GP appointment, but ended up cancelling it as I was too embarrassed to drop my trousers and let someone examine such an intimate area. “Two months passed before it got really sore and I just had to see a doctor. I was immediately referred to eurology. I was checked and scanned and had a biopsy and they confirmed it was cancer.”
Now working as a community engagement officer for Cahonas Scotland, Paul continues: ” I was told that it had also gone into my lymph nodes. I felt numb when I heard the news. The word cancer is hard to hear. I had the testicle removed and then underwent two rounds of chemotherapy and lost my hair.
“They had managed to get all of the cancer and the chemotherapy treated the cancer in the lymph nodes and I started to go from six-monthly to yearly appointments. I was so relieved when I found out that I was cancer free and on the road to recovery. I am so grateful to Cahonas Scotland for saving my life with the information they provided, as if I hadn’t found the lump, I would have lived in ignorance and the cancer would have progressed. It was bad enough that I waited two months before getting help, but this is typical of men who are too embarrassed to seek medical attention.
“For a type of cancer that is treatable, it is saving your life to go and get checked or do a self-check and if you find anything follow up with a GP. After everything had happened, I was so grateful to Cahonas that I started fundraising for them. Then a job came up as their Community Engagement Officer, I applied and I got it.
“Now I go and talk to school and university students about the importance of self-checks and raising awareness, as this cancer is most common in young men aged 15 to 34. We have even done projects with Glasgow Warriors and Zander Fagerson is our ambassador.
“I was privileged to be invited to a reception in April hosted by the King and Queen, as a representative of Cahonas. King Charles asked me what I do and I replied: ‘I talk balls for a living Your Majesty’ and he erupted in fits of laughter – which was captured on camera. We had a great chat and he was really interested in my story and what Cahonas does to help save lives.
“I’m coming up to 10 years cancer free and the whole journey has given me such a different outlook on life and I’m so grateful. I’d urge any man to get in touch if they need help or to follow the self-check videos on our website.”
For further information see https://www.cahonasscotland.org/.
Paul with King Charles and Queen
Paul has met King Charles through his campaigning (Ian Jones Photography)
Paul has got the ICW Wrestlers on board to raise awareness of testicular cancer
The CHECK! chicken sausage packs will be available throughout November at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. For more information, visit www.heckfood.co.uk.
