Olympian Sir Chris Hoy, Scotland rugby international, Kenny Logan, and business figures including Sir Tom Hunter launched the Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative in Glasgow.

25,000 men across Scotland aged between 40 and 80 will initially be offered free PSA testing throughout this year. Men can book a free PSA test nationwide in towns and cities from Inverness in the north to Dumfries in the south. The first public testing events will be held in Renfrewshire this weekend and in Glasgow next week.

Each man who participates in the Initiative will be asked to give a simple blood sample to measure Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. In addition, a range of more advanced diagnostic tests will be deployed across selected groups of men to help develop a greater understanding of the role of genetic risk and the significance of other biochemical markers in the origins of prostate cancer.

The aim of the study is to explore how the existing clinical pathway for detecting and treating prostate cancer can be improved.

The project is supported by a range of organisations and employers across Scotland and findings from the study will be made available to NHS Scotland.

Speaking at the launch at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow, Sir Chris Hoy said: “This project is a major step forward for prostate cancer testing. Not only can men benefit personally from an initial test, but they can also help shape the future of diagnosing this disease that impacts so many lives. I urge my fellow Scotsmen to go and be tested.”

Kenny Logan said: “Men have a history of not wanting to talk about prostate cancer and have been put off from being tested for a variety of reasons. I know from my own experience that getting tested is lifesaving and this is a great project where Scotland is showing real leadership.”

Sir Tom Hunter added: “This is an opportunity for Scotland to lead the UK in diagnosing, preventing and treating prostate cancer at the earliest possible stage. Let’s stop those terrible conversations families have with their sons, fathers, grandfathers and friends; ‘but I didn’t have any symptoms’. By delivering this testing regime, the project team led by Prof. Sir Chris Evans makes a big decision easy – test and know; to do nothing would be a crime.”

Organisations supporting the project include the Scottish Police Federation, Glasgow Credit Union and Dundee City Council. Employers include Sandy and James Easdale and McGill’s Buses, The Arnold Clark Group, The Malcolm Group, Lord Haughey and City Facilities Management. Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Johnstone Football Clubs will be hosting testing events at their stadiums.

EDX Medical Group, a digital diagnostics company, is delivering the Initiative in conjunction with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, a prostate health awareness charity.

A pilot programme was completed in February and early March in Greenock, Inchinnan and Johnstone with the support of Sandy & James Easdale and McGill’s Buses. Further testing sessions in Glasgow were supported by The Arnold Clark Group, Lord Haughey and City Facilities Management. More than 1,400 men underwent tests in one week.

Professor Sir Chris Evans, OBE, founder of EDX Medical, said: “This Initiative has tremendous potential to save lives and heralds a new era for prostate cancer diagnosis. Scotland is being truly innovative in undertaking a project like this and I’m extremely proud to be working with Sir Tom Hunter, Sir Chris Hoy, Kenny Logan and outstanding leaders from many walks of life in bringing this project to life.

“The message is straightforward. If men take a test, they could be saving their own lives whilst also making a big contribution to saving more lives in the future. There is no physical examination involved which we know puts a lot of men off being tested. A simple blood sample is all there is to it.

“Apart from the human suffering that could be prevented, the cost to the country is eye watering. Treating prostate cancer at its early stages can cost around £13,000 per patient whereas at stage 4 it’s nearly 10 times that figure.

“Testing 25,000 men is a big challenge but we’re delighted that so many employers and organisations have rallied round. We hope that many more will also join us in promoting the Initiative in the months ahead. We had a fantastic, positive response to the pilot programme and we hope from today that enthusiasm will be carried across all of Scotland.”

The first testing events open to the public will be held this weekend in Renfrewshire at the Donald Malcolm Heritage Centre in Linwood (Saturday March 28), and at the Hunterhill Community Centre, Paisley (Sunday March 29). Public testing will also be held on Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow. Bookings for these testing events and others in Scotland can be made on www.scottishprostate.com.

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