New campaign urges Leeds men to check their health instead of their phone
A bright pink minibus is heading to Leeds city centre on Thursday November 20 to raise awareness of testicular cancer and call on men in Yorkshire to put down their phones and check their bits.
The advice comes after a YouGov poll found that almost three quarters of men in the region (73 per cent) check their phones multiple times a day - scrolling TikTok, YouTube, and other social platforms – and 43 per cent check their bank balance several times a week, but only 16 per cent check their testicles weekly and 41 per cent rarely.
Worryingly, a quarter of Yorkshire men (24 per cent) admitted they never check at all.
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 34, with around 2,400 cases diagnosed annually in the UK (source: Nuffield Health).
The poll of about 2,000 men was commissioned by HECK! Food, whose co-founder Jamie Keeble was diagnosed with the disease in 2015 and revealed that despite growing awareness on social media and in the news, men are still reluctant to check.
To tackle this, HECK! has teamed up with testicular cancer charity Cahonas to launch the CHECK! campaign for November’s Men’s Health Month, to raise awareness about testicular cancer and shout about the benefits of self-checks and early detection.
The Yorkshire sausage and burger firm has renamed its chicken sausage packs from HECK! to CHECK!, featuring the message “Don’t be a chicken - check!” and a QR code linking to life-saving information on the Cahonas website. A portion of proceeds from every pack sold will be donated to the charity.
The campaign also includes the Ball Bus-ter Tour -a bright pink minibus featuring a giant chicken and the CHECK! logo.
The bus has already visited Glasgow and London, and will be in Leeds city centre all day on Thursday November 20, offering men the chance to speak with a nurse and Cahonas members about self-checks and early detection.
Ritchie Marshall, Founder and CEO of Cahonas, said: “We spend half our lives glued to our phones, scrolling through endless updates, but barely a minute checking what really matters.
"At Cahonas, we want men to put down the phone and have a quick check of their testicles to make sure everything is as it should be. It only takes a minute, but that minute could save your life.
“We are proud to work with HECK! again and this November as they rebrand to CHECK! to help spark conversations and remind men to take action.”
Jamie Keeble, co-founder of HECK!, said: “This research shows that awareness is key, which is why we’re launching our campaign and taking our pink bus out on the road.
"Testicular cancer is on the rise and men can reduce their chances of dying simply by knowing what to feel for.
“I found a small lump and immediately went to my GP and received my diagnosis. Even though a lot of stigma surrounds going to the doctor for such an intimate area, it’s vital to be proactive if you find a lump.
"I’m now fully recovered and my wife and I have a child - something I’m incredibly grateful for.”
The CHECK! chicken sausage packs will be available throughout November at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. For more information on the campaign, visit www.heckfood.co.uk. For further information on Cahonas visit https://www.cahonasscotland.org/.