In March, MPs and Lords from all major political parties welcomed the Man Van to Speaker’s Court in the heart of the House of Commons for our highest profile prostate cancer testing opportunity since the vehicle was launched.

You can read more about the day in this exclusive article in the Daily Mail – click here

The event, co-sponsored the Rt. Hon. Sir James Cleverly MP, Josh Babarinde OBE MP, and Calvin Bailey MBE MP, chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prostate Cancer, and supported by multi award winning healthcare organisation Medefer, saw eligible MPs and Lords from all parties, as well as Parliamentary staff, invited to take the simple PSA blood test and learn more about the importance of an early diagnosis.

This was a landmark day for the Prostate Project, and the Man Van. The van was in constant use throughout the day, with over 40 PSA tests taken. Our Chairman, Martin Davies was clearly delighted by the opportunity to spread the word in such a high-profile way.

‘‘One of the key objectives of our charity, along with fundraising, is to increase awareness among the general population of the need for men, aged 45 and over, to take a PSA blood test, the simplest way to detect any potential prostate cancer issues. I am grateful to the MPs and Lords that took the time to visit us, as well as to Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP and his team for making the Speaker’s Court available to us for the day.

I was also pleased that so many male and female MPs also showed their support concerning various issues impacting people with prostate cancer, advocating for improvements in policy on health inequalities, early diagnosis, treatment, care and survival. Social media has been buzzing with posts from MPs pledging their support’’

Prostate cancer claims the lives of more than 12,000 men every year in the UK, but with early detection it has a high survival rate of ~80%, underlining the importance of regular screening and awareness.  But as Martin explains, early detection is not always that straightforward.

Martin continues.

‘’In its early stages, prostate cancer often has no symptoms, which is why it is so important for every man over the age of 50, or 45 if black or with a family history, to take a PSA test. This small blood sample can, and does save lives, and to have the support of such a well-established and highly respected partner as Medefer really does emphasise our message for men to get tested, and the need for investment in a national screening programme’’

The Prostate Project launched the Man Van in 2024 following a fundraising effort that saw over £200,000 raised to purchase, equip, and operate the vehicle, which is in high demand for events across Surrey and Sussex.

The House of Commons event was attended by Prostate Project trustee and driving force behind the ‘Man Van’ idea, Professor Stephen Langley, Clinical Director of Urology at the Royal Surrey Hospital and co-chairman in urology of the Surrey & Sussex Cancer Alliance. Professor Langley was also quick to acknowledge the value of such events.

‘’We are extremely grateful to everyone that helped to organise this very special day, our great friends at Medefer and of course, James, Josh, and Calvin, the three MPs that initiated the involvement of the Prostate Project. I would also like to thank Donald Schloss, founder of the Black Prostate Cancer Network for his inspired idea of taking the Man Van to Parliament.

Initiatives like this, and our recent targeted prostate health check*, the first programme of its type fully funded by the NHS and delivered in association with Medefer and the Surrey & Sussex Cancer Alliance, are helping to save, and prolong more lives than ever before.’’

You can read more about the day in this exclusive article in the Daily Mail – click here

The UK National Screening Committee, which advises the government on which screening programmes to offer, is currently reviewing evidence into the benefits of prostate cancer screening for high-risk men and is due to make a recommendation later this year.

MPs from across Parliament have joined the likes of broadcaster Sir Stephen Fry, chef Ken Hom, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting are backing the Daily Mail’s call for the National Screening Committee to recommend the roll-out of a targeted screening programme on the NHS.

*Medefer is a multi-award-winning healthcare organisation – led by NHS clinicians – dedicated to faster access to health care, reducing waiting lists and improving patient outcomes by transforming how healthcare is delivered. Over the past three years, they have been running a  “case finding” project with Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance to identify men who might most benefit from having a simple urine and PSA blood test, with the aim of detecting prostate cancer earlier and faster, without adding to GP workload. The results demonstrated higher detection rates and increased awareness of prostate cancer checks among participants.