Farnborough & Aldershot Lions in conjunction with Cancer Testing South held their second annual prostate cancer screening event at the Southwood Medical Centre in October.

One in 8 men in the UK will get this deadly disease which translates to 41.000 cases per year, equivalent to 200 new cases being diagnosed every working day. This in turn means that 10,000 men a year are dying of this totally preventable disease. That is one man every hour. The worst mortality figures in Europe.

Farnborough & Aldershot Lions have joined with other Lions Clubs nationwide save as many men and their families as possible from this devastating outcome. 

Bookings for 200 men were taking prior to the Southwood event and despite 15 'no shows', a further 16 'walk ins' made up the number to 201. This combined with the 244 men tested last year means that 25 local men in the last 12 months will receive an early diagnosis after the Farnborough screenings.

These figures are especially poignant for 2 Farnborough Lions who attended a similar event in 2016 held by Fleet Lions Club. After their blood tests one received a 'red letter' signifying abnormally high PSA levels requiring immediate treatment, despite him having no symptoms. The 2nd Lion received an 'Amber Letter' indicating his PSA level was high and advising follow up medical attention. Both these men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and went on to receive successful treatment. Both are now cancer free.

A few days after the October event of the 10 men who participated received letters informing them they should seek medical attention. 7 of these advised URGENT attention as their Prostate Specific Antigen levels were dangerously high.

Life saving treatment can now be given to these men and added to the 15 men treated after last year's event the Lions Prostate Cancer Screening sessions in the last year will save the premature deaths of 25 men from Rushmoor.

We would like to sincerely thank the Southwood Medical Centre for allowing us to use the centre for this screening session along with South East Water, Rushmoor Council and Hampshire County Council who gave grants towards the costs of £25 per test. We would also like to thank the men of Rushmoor for their generous contributions towards the cost of holding this life saving event.

If you missed this opportunity PSA tests are available to all men over 50 for free from their GP, even if they do not have symptoms. For further information visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psa-test/