1 in 3

For example, Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men from 15-35 and has a 99% cure rate if caught early enough and yet currently young men and boys are still dying of lack of knowledge. I work as a full time volunteer, with The Institute for Cancer Research, everyman campaign (

Recently I have heard of another 2 young boys in Middlesbrough alone, who have died within the last 8 months from Testicular cancer, aged 16 and 17. Schools in this area do not, it seems, give any form of Awareness Talk. Dr Rathmell an Oncologist from The James Cook Hospital, doctor to both these young men, feels it is imperative that young men and women know about this subject area. These are not the only cases reported, They need to be ‘informed’ and ‘encouraged’ to be mature enough to seek urgent medical treatment without embarrassment ( see Tom‘s story attached ). Survival rates from ALL cancers are far better when the patient presents him/herself earlier to the medical profession and the best place to convey this information is naturally in schools as part of Healthy Schools Programme. PSHE is ideal and Helen Bird and Damian McGrath both agreed. This will ‘set students up for LIFE’, empowering young people to take responsibility for their own health. After all Every Child Matters throughout the UK and they have a right to be empowered to know what may one day save their lives.

 Proof of success already being achieved within schools

I have done this work, voluntarily, for the last 9 years - and have talked to over 150,000 students and with radio, and TV appearances, hopefully reached millions of young men and women. On approaching schools and telling them what I am doing - they welcome me with open arms as a vital part of their PSHE programme and are grateful that I made the contact because they didn’t know how to access this information. They know rates of cancer are increasing and the need for ‘awareness of cancers is of paramount importance.

I know of many young men who have survived Testicular Cancer (whilst still at school ). This was only because they were given vital information and subsequently did not avoid the issue as so many do through lack of knowledge and went to a doctor in time. One boy I talked to was diagnosed the same day after talking to his teacher within an hour of my PSHE session, another within a few months noticed something wrong and reacted appropriately - he was 16 and is now 23, he survived - I can quote many more cases.

I am one of many mothers who has personal experience to prove that what we are proposing is needed. My son, Matthew needlessly, died at the age of 19, from Testicular Cancer - within months of leaving school because he ignored painless symptoms. Only because of lack of knowledge / awareness. If he had had a ‘Cancer Awareness lesson in PSHE’ telling him the early symptoms of this cancer - he would be alive today. Of the 220 schools I visit - I am welcomed into Matthew’s old school regularly and make sure every child is ‘cancer aware’.

Some other Cancer Charities are already are doing the same type of work within schools, such as Teenage Cancer Trust, who I work closely with, they give talks and information on Teenage Cancers and Orchid Cancer have after there success of there video ‘Know Your Balls... Check ‘Em Out!’ now produced an updated DVD with five languages, sign language, a interactive quiz, teachers booklet and teaching resources. This resource pack will be dispatched to every school in the UK free of charge during June

Orchid-cancer.org have produced a DVD and pack in 5 languages available throughout the UK. However this individual approach could be improved, widened and highlighted throughout the National Curriculum and this is what we are jointly proposing.

Mac Millan - “cancer talk”

-

FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

We would like you as The National Curriculum Authority Review Board to recommend the words ‘Cancer Awareness ’ under the PSHE guidelines. Some teachers and schools find ‘PSHE’ a difficult subject area to teach and if this topic is included it would make sure that there are no black areas in the country where young people are slipping through the net and subsequently needlessly dying from highly treatable cancers.

Thank you very much for your time in considering this Cancer Awareness Campaign - and noting the seriousness of this subject, and with your help, we can do something about it. We now have this real chance to make a difference for so many of our young people - and the chance to save many lives. As my son said before he died of cancer aged only 19 yrs and 10 days old ‘ I was taught many things at school which I would never use - the ONE thing that could have saved my life they didn’t bother to teach me. ’

This is our chance to change that now - Please help !

Working with The Institute for Cancer Research, everyman campaign (