Yeovil firm helps in cancer fight

By [sforrester]

A SCREWFIX employee who has seen several family members battle cancer is backing the company's campaign to help men across the country tackle the disease.

Dean Gamble has watched his two older brothers go through prostate and bowel cancer, as well as see his niece's husband battle testicular cancer.

He is keen to highlight the importance of regular checking and seeing a doctor sooner rather than later.

He is strongly supporting the Yeovil-based firm's campaign to raise funds and awareness for Everyman, a charity aiming to stamp out male cancers.

Mr Gamble said: "Most men are not daft when it comes to this type of thing, but there is always an embarrassment factor and they tend to put off going to the doctor before it's too late.

"It comes as a shock when someone close to you is diagnosed with cancer, it is the kind of thing you never think can happen to you or your loved ones. So many people think 'it can't affect me' but it can and it does.

"In my nephew-in-law's case he found a lump quite early and was able to get treatment fairly quickly, if he had left it even a little longer the results could have been far worse and I think that highlights the importance of acting decisively.

"He did lose one of his testicles and in my eldest brother's case, he had to have part of his bowel removed, but I would gladly lose something like that if it meant I would still be alive.

"Male cancers are stereotyped as something that can only happen when you start heading towards middle age but it can affect anyone whether they are in their 20s or any other age.

"We haven't started this campaign to scare or worry people, but we really hope people will take notice and think about cancer more seriously. Our slogan, 'don't be a spanner, check your nuts' is quite funny and we hope that will relax people when it comes to talking about this illness. This campaign has caught on so quickly within Screwfix, everyone wants to jump on board and be a part of it and it is so encouraging to see."

Screwfix has produced T-shirts promoting the campaign. All the money from sales of the shirts go to the Everyman charity.

Staff with the company in Yeovil plan to hold a walk on Monday 13 July from the Houndstone Business Park to Pen Mill, in their next step to promote the campaign.