Wolves Academy’s head of sports science & medicine Stephen Gilpin joined football colleagues in gaining a unique insight into prostate cancer research this summer.
A group of football staff from the Premier League and EFL, including Gilpin of Wolves, have now raised more than £500,000 for Prostate Cancer UK through the UK’s biggest grassroots football fundraising challenge and recently they saw how they are supporting and funding a Nottingham prostate cancer research laboratory.
The Prostate United group were given a tour of the Biodiscovery Institute at the University of Nottingham on Wednesday 31st July by Professor Nigel Mongan and his team, who are leading research into potential new drugs that could be used to help men with prostate cancer to live longer, healthier lives.
Prostate United is a yearly fundraising challenge that invites football club stuff and fans to run, walk or cycle a distance every October. Since it began in 2018, the challenge has seen more than 300 staff from 60 professional and non-league football clubs raise over £500,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.
To sign up for 2024, visit prostateunited.prostatecanceruk.org.
Gilpin is also a challenge founder, alongside Ross Burbeary, and the tour held added significance for Gilpin, who sadly lost his grandad, Norman, to prostate cancer in 2012. Norman was the inspiration for Gilpin kick-starting his fundraising six years ago whist working at Rotherham United.
He said: “Seeing the impact that Prostate United has had first-hand at the Biodiscovery Institute really drove home the importance of what we’ve achieved over the years; everyone who has taken part is making a real difference for men and their families affected by prostate cancer.
“Prostate United has become so much more than just a charity challenge; it has become a community. We’re delighted to have reached £500,000 – but we want to go even bigger in 2024.
“We’re really trying to bring football - from grassroots level up to the Premier League - together, all with one aim of raising as much money as we can for the amazing Prostate Cancer UK. I want to see more clubs and fans than ever before joining us and helping us reach that incredible target of £1 million.”
Dr Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the fantastic fundraising Prostate United has achieved since the challenge began in 2018.
“Showing Stephen, Ross, Grant [McCann] and the team the real-world impact their support is giving to men with prostate cancer drives home why challenges like Prostate United are so important to our work at Prostate Cancer UK. Everyone involved in the challenge has created something special within their clubs and local communities, and as a charity we’re excited to see how it continues to grow in 2024.
“One man dies from prostate cancer every 45 minutes, but thanks to the generosity of everyone involved in Prostate United and all of our incredible supporters, we’re able to invest into research into saving men’s lives and improving the lives of men with the disease.”
Join your club and help save men’s lives this October. Sign up for Prostate United 2024 at prostateunited.prostatecanceruk.org.
