'Pay Attention To Your Pee' For Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

The Marie Keating Foundation is marking September being Prostate Cancer Awareness month by launching a new campaign with a powerful message for men: "Stand Up for Your Prostate."

As prostate cancer continues to impact lives globally, with nearly 1.5 million men diagnosed annually and an estimated 397,000 deaths, the Foundation's latest initiative is urging men across Ireland to "Pay Attention to Their Pee" and prioritise their prostate health.

The Marie Keating Foundation’s annual “Stand Up for Your Prostate” campaign supported by Astellas in association with MSD and Novartis, now in its 8^th year, harnesses the power of humour to spark crucial conversations about prostate health.  

Fronted by comedian and actor Danny Kehoe, the campaign's video — narrated by the hilarious Karl Spain — uses humour to address the often-overlooked signs and symptoms of prostate cancer. The video features relatable scenarios, including a comedic yet poignant segment where the protagonist struggles with a garden hose, cleverly highlighting the importance of paying attention to urinary symptoms.

Startling statistics show that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

In Ireland, an average of 3,980 men will be diagnosed each year and rates of prostate cancer are higher in the black community with 1 in 4 being diagnosed in their lifetime.

However, when detected early prostate cancer has a very promising five-year survival rate of over 93%. But like many other forms of cancer, these survival rates are all dependent on when the cancer is detected. Early detection saves lives, provides an opportunity for treatment choice overall and very importantly, improves survival outcomes. 

The campaign aims to break the silence surrounding prostate health, encouraging men to talk to their GP about the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test, especially those over 50 or those aged 40-45 with a family history of prostate or breast cancer.

Pictured is Comedian Danny Kehoe who stars in the Marie Keating Foundation Pay Attention to Your Pee campaign video.

The Foundation emphasises that anyone born with a prostate are two and a half times more likely to develop prostate cancer if a close male relative has had it. Moreover, inherited genes such as BRCA 2, as well as factors like being overweight or obese, also contribute to higher risk. 

It can also be a challenge getting people to their GP to talk about prostate health and the PSA blood test. Symptoms will not always be present so being proactive with your prostate is essential. By leaning into humour once again, the campaign’s goal is to get men laughing, relating, talking, and acting.

This video begs to shared on the family chats with a “Dad, this is you” and the laughs may lead the way to more conversations about prostate health and more PSA tests taken.

The campaign video will be launched on September 9th across all Marie Keating Foundation channels, including their website www.mariekeating.ie.

Speaking about the campaign, campaign patient ambassador and author Gerry Kelly said: "If I waited for symptoms, I could be dead now. I say that because 25% of my prostate had cancer and my diagnosis came about as a result of blood tests conducted by my doctor.

“So, if you are a healthy young man get yourself checked anyway. If there is nothing there, good for you.

“If you find something amiss early stages it can be fixed so that you will live, laugh and love for years to come. If you have a brother, a father, a partner, or friend who is shy of doctors, nag him or drag him to his local GP. Get tested, live longer."

Prostate cancer’s early warning signs can include:

•             frequency passing urine,

•             getting up at night-time to go to the toilet,

•             pain on passing urine,

•             difficulty passing urine,

•             your flow has become weak or intermittent,

•             blood in your urine or semen at any time that is otherwise unexplained.

For more information about this campaign and information on prostate cancer, go to www.mariekeating.ie.

The campaign’s Little Blue Man emblem is being sold to help encourage the conversation about men’s health and raise funds to support those on a cancer journey. The Blue Man pin is available to buy for just €3 on HERE.