Prostate Cancer UK have joined forces with seven other cancer charities to take part in Cancer Deadline Day and they're calling on fans to help in the fight against cancer - by making a donation to help charities tackling the disease.

Launched on January, 4 this year, Cancer Deadline Day is a vital new fixture on the football calendar, as the beautiful game joins forces to raise vital funds for a consortium of eight cancer charities.

Transfer Deadline Day is one of the biggest days of the year for football fans and the British media.

It is a day like no other as clubs throughout the country spend millions of pounds on signing new players before the transfer window closes for several months.

This transfer window, Cancer Deadline Day is calling on all fans, players, clubs and legends of the game to help give cancer the boot.

Football fan bases will compete to get their club to the top of the giving table by raising the most amount of money by the end of deadline day on February, 1.

To make a donation, fans can back their team through a club-specific donation page, powered by JustGiving, and select any amount. They will also be encouraged to nominate five other fans on social.

Cancer Deadline Day will benefit a consortium of eight cancer charities, each of whom will receive a split of money raised.

Alongside Prostate Cancer UK, the other seven charities are: Breast Cancer Now, CLIC Sargent, Macmillan Cancer Support, Pancreatic Cancer UK, The Ruth Strauss Foundation, Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Teenage Cancer Trust.

Tracey Pritchard, Director of Fundraising & Supporter Engagement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re delighted to sign up for Cancer Deadline Day alongside so many great organisations, helping to raise crucial awareness and vital funds for Prostate Cancer UK and the wider cancer community.

“One man dies from prostate cancer every 45 minutes in the UK, shockingly that’s two men during every game of football. More than 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year - that’s more than half the capacity of Wembley Stadium. And it’s now also the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK.

“We want to shape a better future for men and their loved ones, but we still have so much work to do. Teaming up with the football family and working with Cancer Deadline Day this January will help in our quest.”
Covid-19 has had a huge direct impact on people living with cancer, as well as on the vital fundraising for charities that support them.

New research by Macmillan Cancer Support estimates there are 50,000 ‘missing diagnoses’ for cancer across the UK, because of the disruption caused by Covid-19, with at least 33,000 fewer people across the UK started treatment in 2020, compared to 2019. This backlog of undiagnosed cancer could take 18 months just to tackle in England alone.

More than 40 football clubs from the Premier League, WSL, Scottish Premier League and English Football League have also signed up in support of the new campaign, with fans pledging money in a bid to help their side to the top of the giving table.

Among those endorsing the campaign are legendary Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, former England strikers Alan Shearer and Michael Owen, rock royalty Rod Stewart and The Who and Brighton & Hove Albion boss Graham Potter.

And Arsenal Fan TV’s Robbie Lyle has also supported the campaign across social media.

He said: “I’ve supported the work of Prostate Cancer UK for many years and I’m delighted to join them in signing up for Cancer Deadline Day.

“Cancer is a devastating disease. One man dies every 45 minutes from prostate cancer. If you’re black like me, it affects one in four men.

“COVID-19 has hit cancer charities hard – so this transfer window they're calling on all football fans, players, clubs and legends for support. To participate in Cancer Deadline Day, simply visit www.cancerdeadlineday.org, select your football club, make a donation and help your club reach the top of the giving table.”

Lyle is no stranger to the work of Prostate Cancer UK having raised funds and awareness by walking to a host of football clubs for the charity.

He regularly sports the iconic Prostate Cancer UK ‘Man of Men’ pin badge and hailed the charity’s continued presence in the beautiful game.

“For me the badge represents every man in the struggle, in the fight against prostate cancer,” he added. “That’s why I wear it proudly.

“The stats about this disease are still shocking, so we need to keep raising awareness so that if we can catch it early enough, we can defeat it.

“Football can be very important in raising awareness of this serious issue, and when the message gets across that every 90 minutes two men can die from it, it really does bring it home.”

To make a donation, please visit www.cancerdeadlineday.org