As part of a major drive to catch cancers earlier when they are easier to treat, P-Wave has partnered with the NHS on a cancer awareness campaign to encourage men to consult their GPs if they see blood in their urine.
Thousands of P-Wave urinal mats now feature the message ‘Blood in your pee? Contact your GP practice’, putting this important message in front of people using public urinals in pubs, restaurants, shops and hotels across the country.
Now the campaign is expanding to feature NHS messaging on urinal trough screens in stadiums and large venues, meaning even more people could benefit from the campaign.
P-Wave’s Managing Director, Dave Carson, said: “To support this important NHS initiative, we need to deliver this potentially life-saving message to as many men as possible, so we have rebranded our popular fragranced Trough urinal screens, which are commonly used in high-traffic areas such as sports stadiums and other large venues.
“We’re proud to be working with NHS England on this first-of-its-kind partnership, which offers a creative yet simple way to convey this important cancer awareness message. We hope that seeing the message in urinals in major venues will prompt a serious conversation, encouraging men to be body aware and check for blood in their pee and to contact their GP practice if they spot it.”
Passing blood in pee – even just once – is a common symptom for bladder, kidney or prostate cancers, which are all among the 10 most prevalent cancers in the country, and generally affect men more than women.
A recent survey for the NHS found that nearly half of men (46%) thought blood in pee was not a symptom of cancer. Two-fifths (39%) of men surveyed said they would wait until they’ve noticed blood in their pee multiple times before seeing a GP.
The new findings also show that just over half of men in England use a public urinal at least once a week and the majority of men (71%) said they would be more likely to contact their GP practice if they saw messaging on a urinal mat and were experiencing blood in their pee.
Dave continued: “It’s interesting that the survey also showed that more than 3 out of 5 men (64%) would think a venue is concerned about cleanliness, health and/or wellness if they saw a urinal screen in a public washroom.”
Data shows that more people than ever before are being seen and treated by the NHS for cancer. In the last year the number of people receiving lifesaving checks for cancer hit 2.92m – more than any other year on record.
Diagnosing cancer early means it’s easier to treat and can save lives, which is why the NHS is urging people to be aware of changes in their bodies and contact their GP practice if they notice symptoms that could be a sign of cancer.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England National Clinical Director for Cancer, commented: “Having blood in your pee – even just once – shouldn’t be ignored because it can be a sign of cancer, so it needs to be checked out by your GP team.
“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.
“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.”
P-Wave Trough Urinal Screens deliver odour control and splash reduction, while helping to eradicate persistent blockages, channel blocks and unwanted odours. 100% recyclable, the easy to install screens can be linked to span the urinal’s entire length and are the perfect solution for high-traffic areas such as stadiums and concert venues, ensuring a pleasant and hygienic environment regardless of the crowd size.
For more information about cancer symptoms,visit here.
www.p-wave.co.uk/nhs
