Download NEW CHARITY AIMS TO DRIVE DOWN CANCER DEATH TOLL IN

NEW CHARITY AIMS TO
DRIVE DOWN CANCER
DEATH TOLL IN
GRAMPIAN
KIRSTY URQUHART
09:00 - 31 January 2006
A Charity set up to fund a pioneering cancer
research unit for the north-east was officially
launched last night.
Ucan - which will support people living with
urological cancers - aims to raise £2million in
the next three years towards a unit based in
Aberdeen which it hopes will lead the way in
treating the disease.
Equally important, according to its founders,
is raising public awareness of the cancers
which around 5,000 north-east patients are
tested every year.
The charity was set up in October and is
backed by the P &J. Urological cancers
include cancer of the bladder, kidneys,
prostate and testes.
In the north-east, 300 men are diagnosed
with prostate cancer every year and the age
group of sufferers is getting younger.
Last night, an invited audience listened to
Ucan's chairman and co-founder Sam
McClinton, a consultant urologist in
Aberdeen.
"It's a charity that we sincerely believe is
going to change the face of urological care in
Grampian for the foreseeable future," he
said.
"We started it with the prime aim of making
life better for patients, and we also aim never
to see someone come to us with advanced
forms of cancers when they could have been
seen much earlier. Our ultimate goal is to see
people in Grampian get the best care in the
world. The quicker we can raise funds, the
quicker we can make life better for people in
Grampian."
Consultant urologist James N'Dow who is
managing director and co-founder, told the
audience that 75% of people arrive at the
clinic when it is too late to cure their
condition.
"If you do dare to have a urological cancer
make sure you get it diagnosed early," he
said. "For too many people we tell them 'you
have advanced prostate cancer' or 'you have
advanced bladder cancer'."
He said raising awareness of the signs of
disease was crucial, since ways of preventing
urological cancers have not yet been
discovered.
"I bet if you walked along Union Street and
asked 10 men where their prostate is, one
will get it right. That has to stop."
Mr N'Dow added: "I would like to thank the
Press and Journal for their incredible support
from day one. Without it I don't think we
would have achieved a 10th of what we
have."
Ucan has already found its first platinum
member, with the Aberdeen-based Wood
Group, the UK's largest energy company,
which last week pledged £50,000 to the
cause.
Its managing director Sir Ian Wood said he
was "highly enthusiastic" in backing the
charity and urged other companies to do the
same.
"Over the years, like all companies, we have
had an unacceptable number of our people
both on and offshore who have suffered from,
and in some cases sadly died, from various
urological cancers.
"A key feature is going to be in raising
awareness. There is no doubt that if some of
my colleagues had had sufficient insight and
knowledge and awareness, then they would
have sought treatment earlier and might still
be with us," added Sir Ian.
Lord Provost John Reynolds said he was
confident the fundraising target could be
reached. "Two million pounds seem like a lot
of money but it's not," he said. "We have
seen charities who have done it in the past.
Let's look forward to a good two years for
Ucan."
Fundraising manager Linda Cattanach said:
"For the immediate future I hope people who
have been here tonight will think about how
they can support us, and then that other
people in the business community will take it
on and encourage their employees to
fundraise for us."