Prostate Cancer UK will cement their long-term relationship with the Staysure Tour by becoming the Official Charity of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at London Golf Club from August 1-4.
The charity has been closely aligned with the Staysure Tour at a number of different tournaments throughout the United Kingdom since 2015 but will now join forces with the Tour’s headline event with Staysure, the multi-award winning over-50s travel insurance company, who are the title sponsor of the over-50s circuit.
This represents the fifth successive season in which a senior tournament has been aligned with the leading men’s health charity, reaffirming the joint pledge of the charitable and sporting organisations to help save lives. Both are committed to raising funds and awareness amongst professional golfers of a disease which affects one in eight males.
For the past four seasons,Prostate Cancer UKhas been a partner of the Scottish Senior Open (2015-2017) and also the Travis Perkins Masters (2018) but the focus of attention will now be on an event with considerable potential to grow in stature.
As part of the partnership, Prostate Cancer UK will receive 100 per cent of all ticket sales and will also have an awareness stand within the venue’s tented village.
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men across the UK, and representatives from the charity will also be present on the tee of the par three eighth hole at the International Course during the Pro-Am on Wednesday July 31.
As golfers qualify for the Staysure Tour at 50 years old, Prostate Cancer UK is a perfect fit with the senior golfing community. Over 400,000 men are living with, and after, prostate cancer in the UK, while more than 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, making it the most common type of cancer among men.
Gabriella Bailey, Director of Fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re delighted to continue our life-changing work with our friends from the Staysure Tour by playing a part in this flagship event.
“We know prostate cancer exists in every golf club. It’s a disease that, sadly, is not yet out of bounds. One in eight men are affected by this disease, and a man dies every 45 minutes from prostate cancer, a statistic brought home even more when you work out the average time for a round of golf.
“Prostate Cancer UK want to raise awareness and fund ground-breaking research to help fight the disease. That will help us provide dedicated support and information to men and those they hold dear. Thanks to the Staysure Tour and Staysure we can continue to drive home this serious message and raise crucial funds.”
Ryan Howsam, Chairman, Staysure, said: “We are delighted to welcome Prostate Cancer UK as the Official Charity for the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship. As the UK’s number one provider of travel insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions such as cancer, we understand the significance of this disease.
“With the great work Prostate Cancer UK do to research and raise awareness of prostate cancer, both in sport and our wider society, we are delighted to be aligned. As the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship goes from strength to strength, we will play our part in raising awareness of prostate cancer in the UK to lovers of golf, but especially men of a certain age.”
David MacLaren, Head of the Staysure Tour, said: “We have maintained a close association with Prostate Cancer UK which now extends to five consecutive years at the 2019 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship. We believe that senior golf aligns well with Prostate Cancer UK, given the age group of our members and the charity’s drive to save lives through awareness of prostate cancer.
“As we have stressed in the past, we hope to exploit the power of sport to help raise awareness of this debilitating disease.Prostate Cancer UK has previously embarked on a number of powerful campaigns – most notably the Men United campaign across football, rugby league and many other sports – and we hope that those participating in the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship can help deliver this important message to a wide audience.”
As well as the Staysure Tour, Prostate Cancer UK have teamed up with the PGA to reach golfers at risk of prostate cancer and raise money to fund vital research to save men’s lives. The tie up between the charity and the PGA aims to ensure every PGA member and their golf club members are aware of the disease.
Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance, winners of The Ryder Cup both as players and captains, have been strong vocal supporters of Prostate Cancer UK’s drive to raise awareness of the disease.
Woosnam said: “The statistics about prostate cancer are amazing, so it’s great that we are able to help raise awareness. I’m very aware of the disease and have been to the doctor. It’s important that men go and get checked out.”
His comments were endorsed by Torrance, who added: “This is a great thing to be involved in. Making people aware of getting themselves checked, and going to see their doctor regularly, that’s what it’s all about. If you have got anything you don’t feel happy about get down to the doctor and make sure and get yourself checked out.
“Cancer is something we have to get rid of. There are many forms of it and prostate cancer is one we need to help. I was made aware of it around the age of 50 and have been keeping an eye on it since.”
England’s Paul Broadhurst, a two-time Senior Major Champion since turning 50, and the winner of the inaugural Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open in August 2015, commented: “It’s a taboo subject with men not being fond of going to the doctors, so we need to change that. It’s scary to think how many people are affected when you equate it to how long a round of golf lasts. It’s really important we get behind this.”
