Bristol man raises thousands in skydive for prostate cancer charity

A Bristol man has raised £6,900 for Prostate Cancer UK after completing a skydive earlier this year. Mark Dee, 54, decided to use a skydiving trip bought by his wife for a birthday present to fundraise and help break the stigma surrounding the disease for men.

"One in eight of us will get this. It's not always life threatening but, if it is, the earlier you get help the better. But it's clear too many men don't even know the symptoms, and many who do resist getting checked out for fear of what they might find and experience," said Mark.

"When you get to the at-risk age which is 50 and over, why not get checked? All it involves is a blood test and possibly a quick internal examination. We are talking about 30 seconds of embarrassment that could save you 30 years of your life. We should definitely think and talk about that."

Read more:

• Barton House residents raise £2K for community cafe after 'incredible kindness'

• Bristol dad hopes to see his son grow up after shock cancer diagnosis

Mark, the commercial director at Barratt Homes Bristol, knew friends who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is the most common cause of cancer deaths in men in the UK. He used the opportunity to talk to staff, suppliers and contractors in his sector about what they knew about prostate cancer and what men could do to help themselves.

"It was surprising how many people knew people who'd been touched by this disease. One owner of a groundworks company has decided to promote and support testing, paying for his male staff to get checked and covering the time off they need," said Mark.

Prostate Cancer UK has delivered early testing options and is researching new diagnostic tools and ways to identify genetics which could put people at risk. The charity is also working to reduce the barriers to screening, which can feel like an embarrassing experience for many men.