Sports stars warn of disease threat

Published on Monday 2 February 2009 21:07

SPORTING celebrities will today help launch an awareness campaign for a health threat that men are often too embarrassed to talk about.

Craig Levein, the Dundee United manager, and Chris Paterson, the Scotland rugby internationalist, have taken part in a film alerting people to the threat of prostate disease.

Paterson said: "With so many men in Scotland being affected by prostate disease, it is important that more people are aware of it."

The launch of the film, which also stars the television and radio presenter Grant Stott, comes as research released by Prostate Scotland shows only 4 per cent of the population know prostate disease will affect one in two men at some point during their lives. Nearly a fifth of people (17 per cent) did not know that only men had a prostate, or had not heard of the prostate gland before, according to the poll of more than 1,000 people.

Robert Wilson, the chairman of Prostate Scotland, said: "The research proved there is a lack of awareness, with only 28 per cent of people surveyed being close to aware of the prevalence of prostate disease."

In the past 20 years, the number of men surviving prostate cancer has doubled, and survival rates are now 80 per cent. However, estimates suggest the diagnosis of men with prostate cancer is set to rise by 35 per cent between now and 2016-20.

Today's launch will take place at the Scottish Parliament.