Derby man is region's 'Father of the Year'
3 June 2008
A Derby manager has been crowned Britian’s ‘Father of the Year’ by the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign and Debenhams in time for Father’s Day (15 June).
Paul Brookes, 60, a police manager, was nominated by his daughter Charlotte Brookes, 29, who said he deserved the prize because: “He’s always there for everybody, no matter what. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer in January and had one removed in February. None of us can believe that he’s already back at work! He really is somebody you can depend upon”.
The lucky dad has won free tickets to the see Jersey Boys in the West End’s Prince Edward Theatre, a meal for two at the Hard Rock Café and a night in a top London hotel.
Charlotte, an alcohol project worker, nominated her dad at Debenhams in Sheffield, which, like all stores across the UK, has been running the promotion since 19 May. She nominated her dad as the UK’s ‘Father of the Year’, and ten regional winners have now been announced, with Paul taking the crown for the midlands.
Krista Eleftheriou, spokesperson for the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign said: “A Father of the Year competition is a great way to draw attention to how important our Dad’s really are. This Everyman Month we want to celebrate Dads everywhere and also stress how important it is for them to look after their health.”
The competition is running as part of Everyman’s partnership with Debenhams, which aims to raise £100,000 through donations from all items across the men’s clothing, accessories and fragrance products in the lead up to Father’s Day. The retailer is also stocking brand new Everyman pin badges with a retro back to school theme, for a suggested donation of £1 each. Funds raised will go towards vital research into prostate and testicular cancer at Europe’s only all male cancer research institution, the Everyman Centre.
Debenhams spokesperson, Victoria Leeper said: “We really hope members of the public drop in and support Everyman by getting a funky pin badge for their Dad. And for every purchase made from our men’s clothing, accessories and fragrance ranges, we’re donating money to help fund vital research into prostate and testicular cancer.”
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For further information, please contact:
Dominique Vincent
020 7153 5312 or, out of hours, 07721 747900
Notes to Editor:
• Ten Debenhams stores took part in the Father of the Year promotion. These included Glasgow, Oxford Street, Meadowhall in Sheffield, Trafford Park in Manchester, Lakeside, Leeds White Rose, Newcastle Metro, Birmingham’s Bull Ring, Cardiff and Bristol.
• All Debenhams stores are taking part in a promotion where Everyman benefits from purchases across the men’s clothing, accessories and fragrance ranges in the lead up to Father’s Day.
• This June is the 11th annual Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month which aims to raise awareness of the 37,000 men diagnosed with prostate and testicular cancer every year in the UK.
• 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.
• The Institute of Cancer Research is Europe’s leading cancer research centre with expert scientists working on cutting edge research. It was founded in 1909 to carry out research into the causes of cancer and to develop new strategies for its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Website at: www.icr.ac.uk
• Prostate cancer has overtaken lung cancer to become the most common cancer in men affecting almost 35,000 men every year in the UK. 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 per cent curable if caught early, and with treatment the overall cure rate is 95 per cent.
