Healthy Option
The Healthy Option
Doctors and nurses at Southmead Hospital will be swapping their uniforms for running kit to raise money for prostate cancer.
Three staff nurses and a nursing assistant from the Bristol Urological Institute will be in a team of “Six Chicks on the Run” taking pat in next month’s Run for the Future.
They’ll be joined by consultant urologist Ed Rowe, consultant oncologist Mark Beresford and BUI Director David Gillatt for the 5km event, which is organised by Bristol Rotary to raise funds for the BUI Prostate Cancer Appeal.
It will be particularly special for David Gillatt – last year he suffered a heart attack whilst taking part and has to be saved by the cardiac team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. This year he plans to take it a bit easier – but colleagues will be keeping a close eye on his progress.
The Run, which is sponsored by Spire Hospitals and now in its fourth year, has so far raised £130,000 towards research into the disease, which claims the life 10,000 men in the UK every year.
Staff nurse Carol Brown, one of the Six Chicks, says they’re taking part for their patients.
“We see men every day with prostate problems. The joint research being carried out by the BUI and the University of the West of England into early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer is vital – and we want to help.”
Martina Peattie, from Bristol Rotary, says Run for the Future is an event for the whole family. “Men are notoriously bad at looking after their own health, which is why we women have to get them to take prostate cancer serious. The more men we can get talking about it and asking their GP’s for a PSA blood test, the more lives we can save.”
For more details about the event, or to register, visit www.runforthefuture.org
Pic shows (l-r) – Mark Beresford, Carol Brown, nursing assistant Nicky Willetts, David Gillatt and Ed Rowe.
