Saturday’s home game against Plymouth Argyle at The Valley is Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health Awareness Day.
As part of this activity, PSA testing, undertaken by the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, will be available from 12pm-2.45pm for fans of both clubs.
The PSA test is a blood test that can help diagnose prostate problems, including prostate cancer – the most common cancer in men in the UK.
Men over 50, men with a family history of prostate cancer and black men are more at risk of prostate cancer.
You can find out more information about the test by clicking here.
Those having a test, which is aimed at men over the age of 45, will be asked for a minimum £5 donation. The Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal will fund the remainder of the tests’ costs.
Club legends Scott Minto, Bob Bolder and Carl Leaburn will be amongst those tested on Saturday, as will Charlton Athletic Community Trust CEO Jason Morgan and Club Secretary Chris Parkes.
Charlton’s Player Liaison Officer Tracey Leaburn is leading this year’s Football to Amsterdam charity cycle for Prostate Cancer UK. Team Addicks will be represented by 31 riders on a gruelling 146-mile bike ride. She said: “My father passed away from prostate cancer which is why I'm so passionate about fighting this disease. I never want anyone to suffer what he and we went through seeing our funny, crazy, loved by everyone Dad become a shadow of himself so quickly and dying a cruel, horrible death.”
Barry Kilby, who stepped down as Chairman of Burnley after being diagnosed, said: “I have advanced Prostate Cancer. Like most men I found out by accident. As men, that’s the problem we have; we’re not very good at getting ourselves tested for anything. The Idea we had is that people would come down to the football together to get tested. We set up a fund, raised money through various ways such as bike rides, charity raffles, I even wrote a short story which went on Amazon.
“I’m now vice-chairman at Burnley and we tried it here with great success. We expected maybe 200 people and got more than 1,000. We’ve done it with Preston North End, Ipswich Town and even our rivals Blackburn Rovers, as this is bigger than a football rivalry.
“We push out the premise ‘come down with your mates and get tested’. We ask for a £5 donation and the rest of the cost is covered. We have saved lives. Since we’ve been doing this 40-50 men, were serious and this came out from our testing. There is a red, amber and green coding and it is important for people to know their score. Football is a great way of bringing people together and hopefully we can use that to save lives.”
The blood tests are available from 12noon to 2.45pm and will take place in the North Stand Fans’ Bar for Charlton fans. Plymouth Argyle fans will be able to be tested in mobile units in the club’s car park. You are welcome to register for the testing or for more information click here.
Read more about The Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal by clicking here.
Up to 500 supporters can be tested on Saturday and the PSA tests will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.