Gemma Atkinson Gives Everyman’s Balls a SQUEEZE for Charity
6 November 2007
Sexy soapstar, Gemma Atkinson, is fronting the Give Your Balls a SQUEEZE campaign, launched this week by Rileys Pool and Snooker Clubs and the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign. Rileys aims to raise £150,000 to help fund vital research into male cancers and called on Gemma’s cheeky charms to get men to sit up and take note.
With a great uncle like the late snooker legend, John Spencer, 22-year-old Gemma is not afraid to challenge the boys to a game of eight ball, but, importantly, the message she is helping Everyman and Rileys to get across is a serious one. Shockingly, prostate cancer is responsible for the death of one man every hour in the UK and testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men aged between 15 and 44.
“With Rileys’ help we’ll be able to get Everyman’s message across to the 550,000 men who are members of their clubs. But, first we need to get the guys’ attention, and this is where Gemma Atkinson can help us!” says Sarah Healy from Everyman.
She continues: “Men are notoriously bad at discussing health matters and going to see their doctor. But, with Gemma’s help, we hope that men will be encouraged to give their balls a squeeze and check for the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer. It could just save their lives.”
Rileys will be selling squeezy ball keyrings in clubs in aid of the charity, and is also planning a series of fundraising events over the next year to collect as much cash as possible to support Everyman – Europe’s first and only centre dedicated to male cancer research.
So, come on boys, follow Gemma’s example and give those balls a SQUEEZE!
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For further information please contact:
Dominique Vincent
Everyman Campaign
Tel: 020 7153 5312 / 07721 747 900
Email: dominique.vincent@icr.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
- Go to www.rileysltd.com or www.everyman-campaign.org to see more pictures of Gemma's support for the campaign.
About Rileys:
- Rileys is the leading pool and snooker venue in the UK, with 165 clubs across the country. It also recently added Poker facilities at 130 of its venues and has on an on-line facility in conjunction with 888.
- R ileys has a long heritage of providing leisure and entertainment in its members clubs. They are places where friends and family can meet and enjoy a game of pool or snooker whether it is a serious legal tournament or just for fun. They can also enjoy freshly prepared food and a drink in a relaxed atmosphere.
About Everyman:
- Everyman is a campaign run by The Institute of Cancer Research, to raise awareness and fund research into testicular and prostate cancer at The Everyman Centre – Europe’s first and only centre dedicated to male cancer research.
- Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in men, affecting nearly 35,000 people a year in the UK. 95% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are aged between 45 and 80, with most over the age of 60. One man dies of prostate cancer in the UK every hour.
- Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men aged between 15 and 44, with about 2,000 cases a year in the UK. Incidence is increasing dramatically – by almost 4-fold in the last 50 years, but thanks to advances made at Everyman, testicular cancer is 99% curable if caught early, and with treatment the overall cure rate is 95%.
* All statistics: Cancer Research UK. 2004. (www.cancerresearchuk.org).
