Page 27 - ROTO Magazine Winter 2022.pub

Rotary Magazine for District 1210

Prostate testing sets a new record Why Rotarians

Nearly 600 men gathered at Whitchurch Rugby Club for one of the are ‘sitting tall’

largest single community events in the history of the town’s Rotary
Club. For the first time in the 35-
A total of 586 men, aged over 45, had potentially life-saving PSA year history of Shrewsbury
Severn Rotary its members
(‘prostate-specific antigen') tests to detect possible prostate cancer.
That number is the highest since the project began seven sat tall at the front of their
years ago. chairs to practice – an ankle
loosener!
A team of 39, including professional NHS phlebotomists, members
of Rotary and Inner Wheel, and other supporters, ran the three- It was all part of a chair-
hour screening session. Blood samples were taken for analysis in a based exercise programme
bid to catch early symptoms of prostate cancer, a disease that kills designed to boost circulation
more than 12,000 men in the UK every year - that’s one death and help prevent trips and
every 45 minutes. falls.

Catching the disease early has saved dozens of lives in the The club was visited by Sue
Whitchurch area alone since the Rotary initiative was launched by Chalk, Head of Service at
organiser Dave Simcock. Community Resource, an
The tests are free of charge and the costs covered by Whitchurch organisation which supports
Rotary from fundraising projects and public donations - including people to stay active and
£2,000 from Whitchurch Town Council. Andy Hall, Town mayor connected to their
(pictured) was among the first to be tested. communities as well as
“The men who turned up for testing probably made one of the helping them to maintain
most important decisions of their life,” said Steve Chisholm, the their health and
president of Whitchurch Rotary. “A total of more than 2,000 tests independence to live a full
have now been administered and this year’s attendance set a new life.
record. The teamwork involved, from the car park crew right
through to the exit door, was an impressive show of organisation This is achieved through a
and I’m proud of every helper who gave their time. range of community-based
projects with the help of a
team of local and committed
volunteers.

She described to Rotarians
how staying active and
physically fit can prevent falls
and how one in six deaths
were due to inactivity.
“Staying active is one of the
best things you can do for
your health. Quality of life
improves and it’s never too
late to start.”
She took Rotarians through a
series of hand and leg
exercises including standing
on one leg. “You don’t have to
walk a marathon,” said Sue,
who added “I am not here to
lecture – just encouraging
you to keep active.”

Rotarians agreed afterwards
that the advice was
‘incredibly useful.’

WINTER 2022 ROTO 27