A new cancer awareness campaign is set to sweep through the restrooms of England’s most popular pubs and football stadiums, as the NHS continues to drive earlier diagnosis and faster treatment.
A first of its kind partnership will see the health service team up with P-Wave to put the message Blood in your pee? Contact your GP practice on urinal mats in venues up and down the country.
The roll-out comes as new survey data reveals that almost half of men (46%) did not believe blood in urine was a potential symptom of cancer. It is in fact a common symptom for bladder, kidney and prostate cancers.
Nearly two in five (39%) would also wait until they noticed blood in their pee more than once before booking an appointment with their GP.
The majority (71%) of respondents reported they would be more likely to contact their GP if they saw the messaging.
If you notice blood in your pee, contact your GP practice.
— NHS England (@NHSEngland) December 6, 2023
The NHS is partnering with @pwavehq to put vital cancer awareness messaging on urinal mats in public loos, where symptoms may first be noticed. Diagnosing cancer early saves lives. https://t.co/XNtvlIibkg pic.twitter.com/pnL37Dvhuq
The new urinal mats will be found in pubs, restaurants, shops, hotels and stadiums in a bid to be present in the places where symptoms may first be noticed.
NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: “Cancer survival is at an all-time high, and we’re seeing more cancers than ever before being picked up at an early stage – and this partnership with P-wave is just one of the many ways we are helping people to be aware of possible cancer symptoms.”
Last year saw more than 2.9 million people receive life-saving cancer checks – the highest since records began.
Prof Johnson added: “While this initiative is about helping men to spot the signs of cancer, everyone needs to be more aware – please look for any changes that may be unusual for you – and get checked out early, it could save your life.”
The last few months alone have seen the NHS launch a double-decker bus to travel across the country to raise awareness for cancer, a unique underwear labelling partnership with Morrisons, and a misconception-busting collaboration with the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
Image credit: iStock
