Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to fund free prostate cancer checks for male employees over 40

This health initiative is for people who work at Bisham Abbey, which is managed by Serco Leisure on behalf of Sport England.

Bisham Abbey and Serco Leisure are working with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, via its My PSA Tests service, to provide all qualifying employees with a free prostate cancer test, which measures the level of PSA in the blood. Elevated PSA levels can indicate a prostate condition, making this screening an important step in the fight against the disease.

Prostate Cancer UK reports that prostate cancer is now the most common cancer among UK men. Recent high-profile cases, such as Sir Chris Hoy and former Prime Minister David Cameron, have raised awareness of the condition.

Steve Nelson, the Director of Leisure at Serco Leisure said: “A former colleague of mine, Justin Butlin, lost his battle with prostate cancer in early 2024, and I clearly remember the words he often said to me: ‘Steve, make sure this doesn’t happen to someone else. Make sure you get yourself tested and encourage others to get themselves checked early’.

“Due to lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, a scheduled health check for Justin was cancelled. Had this examination occurred as planned, his cancer may have been detected at an earlier stage. Early detection is widely recognised as critical, particularly for prostate cancer, which has a high survival rate when identified promptly.

“Unfortunately, by the time Justin received his diagnosis, the disease had progressed to stage 4. Throughout his illness, he demonstrated resilience and maintained a positive outlook, dedicating significant effort to campaigning and fundraising for prostate cancer awareness. This initiative is dedicated in Justin’s memory.”

Stacey Caswell, Contract Manager for Bisham Abbey, added: “For our staff members, there will be posters displayed at each centre with details on how to access the test. I would encourage all male employees over 40 to sign up – this is just a simple blood test, but it could save your life.”

The PSA tests will take place at Bisham Abbey on 14th March. Any customers who would like to book a test can do so by signing up on the My PSA Tests website and paying a £26 fee: https://serco.mypsatests.org.uk/Events/

For more information about prostate cancer, please visit Prostate Cancer UK’s website: https://prostatecanceruk.org/