CHAPS News Release
Date: March 11, 2013
CHAPS – give your health an MOT
Men are notoriously bad at seeking medical attention and far too many die prematurely and
unnecessarily, but North East Essex men’s health charity CHAPS is encouraging men from across
Essex to buck the trend by attending its free health day in March, to gain a clean bill of health.
The annual event is being held at Colchester’s Weston Homes Community Stadium on Thursday 28 th
March 10am – 4pm and will feature 20 stalls offering a variety of important men’s health checks and
information, supported by a veteran car rally put on by the Essex Bentley Drivers Club and the
Charity Classic Vehicle Club.
There is free access to the exhibition, stands and medical professionals covering all aspects of men’s
mental and physical health, including aortic aneurysm screening, heart checks, prostate cancer
screening, diabetes tests, physiotherapy and sports injury detection and treatment.
Supporters and exhibitors at the event include Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE) who will be
providing cardiovascular risk assessments to detect for future heart attacks or strokes, St Helena
Hospice, Colchester Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic, the military charity The Invicta Foundation
and The Samaritans, to name but a few.
Event organiser urologist Professor Chris Booth, lead clinician for CHAPS, is urging men of all ages –
especially those aged over 50 who are at higher risk of developing life-threatening conditions – to
attend. He said: “Men don’t go to their doctors routinely; it’s not in the male psyche. But early
detection of prostate cancer, testicular cancer or heart disease can quite literally mean the
difference between life and death.
“The CHAPS Men’s Health Day aims to make health checks as convenient as possible by offering a
quick but thorough service from medical professionals, especially suited for men who otherwise
might not visit their GP.”
Last year almost 200 men attended during the day and the event helped to prolong the lives of at least four
men by identifying two life-threatening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) and two cases of prostate
cancer. One of those men, Alan Osborn from Billericay, had no idea he was living with an aneurysm until he
went to the Men’s Health Day. He said: “I only went along to the event to feed my passion for cars, but
decided to get myself checked out whilst at the car rally.”
“During my ultrasound the radiologist found an aneurysm, which I had no idea I had. I now believe that my
father died from an AAA and my two sons will have to be tested every year. I would urge everyone to get
checked – there are no symptoms of AAA so it really is a silent killer.”
AAAs can enlarge silently and sudden rupture kills 1,000 men a year. Keyhole surgery can prevent this, as in
Alan’s case.
The event is kindly being sponsored by NEEB Holdings, Two Services Ltd Cleaning & Maintenance, Catten
College, Anglian Urology, Milsom Hotels & Restaurants, Prostate Health UK, Ian & Jill Hunter and DJ Snell
Builders Ltd. CHAPS is also indebted to the support of Colchester United Football Club.
In addition to the Men’s Health Day, CHAPS is also holding “The Sportsman’s Dinner” (ladies are
welcome!) on the evening of 28 March, which is being hosted by top comedian Ian Irving and
Colchester Utd management team Joe Dunne and Mark Kinsella. Tickets are on sale now and cost
£50 each or £450 for a table of 10. Please call 01255 679695 or email chaps41@talktalk.net.
For more information on men’s health issues, please visit www.anglianurology.co.uk or
www.chaps.uk.com
Contact details
For further information, please contact Gemma Rawlinson at Mosaic Publicity on 01206 841933 or email
gemma@mosaicpublicity.co.uk.