People & Lifestyle story, June 2005
| THE T&GWU
IS STILL RUNNING (round Battersea Park!)
Sir Bill Morris, the former leader, raises funds and awareness to fight Prostate Cancer By: Andrea Kon |
Sir Bill Morris, 66, claims to be shy. When the former leader of the Transport and General Worker’s Union completed a five kilometres Pants in the Park walk round Battersea Park recently, to raise awareness of prostate disease, he refused to reveal what colour underpants he was wearing. But the Hemel Hempstead resident is not too shy to agree that his fund-raising jog not only helped increase awareness of prostate disease but raised nearly £2000 for Prostate Research Campaign UK, a charity that funds research into all prostate disease.
Sir Bill explains: "I’ve always been very concerned about health and have an annual check up, including a blood test to measure my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen). I am very aware that the incidence of prostate cancer in the general population is on the increase, and today it has almost as much impact on the male population as breast cancer has on women. And statistics show that Afro-Caribbean men like me are disproportionately affected. The key to prevention is early diagnosis."
When Sir Bill met Professor Roger Kirby, one of Britain’s leading prostate disease experts and Chairman of the Trustees of Prostate Research Campaign UK, nine months ago and learned about the work of the charity, he was keen to join the mailing list for the Campaign’s regular newsletter, UPDATE, in order to keep abreast of developments in the diagnosis and cure of prostate disease.
"I’m keen on keeping fit and can often be seen jogging around my local park as well as going to the local fitness centre," Sir Bill says. When I heard that the Campaign were planning Pants in the Park, a fun-walk round Battersea Park to raise money for research into prostate disease on Father’s Day, I decided the best way to show my support for their work was to walk for them. It was something of a last minute decision, I’m rather shy so I didn’t write to all my friends. But if I do it again, I might do just that, next time."
As for the colour of those underpants? "That," he laugh, "Is a secret between me and my sponsors", he laughs.
For further information about the work of Prostate Research Campaign UK or for information about prostate disease, please review this website or contact us at the address below.