NEARLY £800 was donated by generous Burton Albion fans at the club’s official Prostate Cancer UK fixture.
The EFL supports Prostate Cancer UK with initiatives at all of its clubs during the season and the Brewers match at home to Barnsley was Burton Albion’s official fixture supporting the charity.
Burton Rotary Club volunteers organised the bucket collection at the match - which raised £792.
The charity has a simple ambition – to stop men dying from prostate cancer. Through shifting the science over the next 10 years to focus on radical improvements in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and support, it aims to stop prostate cancer being a killer.
Burton Albion donated the matchball sponsorship on the day to Prostate Cancer UK.
Burton Albion Community Trust has supported Prostate Cancer projects such as the Football to Amsterdam bike ride and has its own campaign organised with Queen’s Hospital which has not only helped raise awareness of the dangers of the disease but also resulted in a series of screenings at the Pirelli Stadium.
The innovative project aimed to take away the ‘fear factor’ and enabled men to seek advice at the familiar surroundings of the football club. These were fully-booked and resulted in 113 men being tested, with eight going on to be diagnosed with cancer.
Among those diagnosed with prostate cancer was Rod Gent, who was a volunteer helper at the screenings. Rod has since received hospital treatment and led the teams out carrying the matchball at the game.
Before the game, Queen’s Hospital staff conducted more screenings and a TV crew came from the One Show to report on the initiative. Rod and Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson were interviewed for the TV programme.
The aim now is to fund more screenings in 2017.
BACT Head of Community Andy Taylor said: “We were delighted to welcome the One Show and to highlight the remarkable success of the screenings organised with Queen’s Hospital.
“Prostate Cancer will affect one in eight men and it’s important that we help raise awareness of the disease and raise funds to fight it.
“I would like to thank all our fans for donating so generously on the day and helping us raise nearly £800.”