A FORMER chair of Harlow Council is looking to put his best foot forward for Prostate Cancer UK next month.

Ian Beckett is now an authorised local preacher at St Stephen’s Church, as well as being a health and wellbeing advocate, and an ambassador for the mental health charity Kintsugi Hope.

Ian has signed up to Prostate Cancer UK’s “March The Month” campaign and is pledging to do at least 11,000 steps (approximately 5 miles), each and every day in March, in return for sponsorship.

Ian says “I’ve been aware of Prostate Cancer UK’s work for many years and helped promote their efforts through the trade union movement, but when a family member was recently diagnosed with Prostate Cancer it brought them back to mind.

Fortunately, Prostate Cancer is treatable if caught soon enough but, currently there is no national screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK. This is because there isn’t a reliable test that can pick up prostate cancer that needs treatment at an early stage. Prostate Cancer UK supports research to find new ways to screen for prostate cancer.

The fact is 1 in 8 men get prostate cancer. If you’re Black, your risk is double. Prostate Cancer UK supports dads, brothers, partners and friends – by raising awareness, funding lifesaving research, campaigning for change and providing helpful support and information, to men and their families. Prostate Cancer UK is committed to help create a world where no man dies from prostate cancer.

Ian says “There’s still time for other people to join the March The March Campaign, and having hit my initial target of raising £500 already, I’m hoping that the good people of Harlow might help me double it!”

To sign up to the campaign visit: https://marchthemonth.prostatecanceruk.org/take-part#signup