THE Rotary Club of Farnham has donated £1,320 to Prostate Cancer UK, supporting the fight against a disease that claims the life of one man every hour in the UK.

Every year the president of the club selects a charity for a particular fundraising effort by the club. The president of the Rotary Club of Farnham for 2014/5, Peter Duffy selected Prostate Cancer UK.

This year the funds were raised by means of a sponsored walk by Rotarians Roger Jude, Michael Atkinson, Sally Ross, and Ann Whitlock from Inner Wheel.

The team left Alton at 8am and proceeded along the Hangers Way via East Worldham to Selborne, Hawkley, Petersfield and finally Buriton, a distance of approximately 20 miles.

At the regular lunch meeting of the club, a cheque for £1,320 was presented to Prostate Cancer UK volunteer Kevin Hopgood who thanked the club and explained the work of the charity.

Kevin, himself a cancer survivor, said: “Prostate cancer kills one man in the UK every hour and the number of men with the disease is steadily rising. It already is the most common cancer in men with over 42,000 men diagnosed every year - the same number as there are women diagnosed with breast cancer.

“If diagnosed early, prostate cancer can be successfully treated. However, if diagnosed at a later date, like most cancers, treatment options become more limited. So our purpose as a charity is to help more men survive prostate cancer and to enjoy a better life.

“There is no doubt we have seen massive improvements in men’s experience of prostate cancer, but it remains so far behind where it needs to be. We want to lead change for the 42,000 men who will be diagnosed every year and for those affected by a best friend or by a partner with the disease. We believe that simply, men deserve better.”

He added the money raised by the club will help fund research into better ways to diagnose, treat and cure prostate cancer, provide services for men before, during and after treatment and campaign on behalf of men to ensure their needs are met.

Prostate Cancer UK is the largest national charity solely dedicated to men’s health. For more information and to join the fight against prostate cancer, visit prostatecanceruk.org/donate.