Funchal is currently flooded with a blue stain resulting from the movement caused by more than a thousand people running to prevent prostate cancer.
The VII Men’s Race began at 4.30pm, next to Funchal Cathedral, as part of Blue November, in an initiative organized by the Madeira Regional Center of the Portuguese League Against Cancer, in collaboration with the Madeira Athletics Association, with with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Ricardo Sousa, president of the Center, emphasized to JM that this race serves the purpose of captivating men to abandon certain “fears” and to carry out screening for the disease which, when diagnosed in a timely manner, has high cure rates, remembering that, in the Region , around 300 cases are diagnosed every year.
As this is “a race for the community”, and not exclusively aimed at male members, the president of the Center highlighted that anyone can join the cause, with the aim of “continuing to insist” on the importance of prevention.
“We are pleased to see the number increase from year to year”, said Egídio Olim, president of the Athletics Association, inviting those present to practice sport and be active regularly.
For his part, urologist Ferdinando Pereira highlighted the importance of early diagnosis, which promotes a cure rate of around 80%.
Pedro Ramos, regional secretary of Health and Civil Protection, also embraced this cause, highlighting the value of approximately 100 million invested per year, by the Regional Government, in medicines made in the Region, highlighting that it is in protection and prevention that the message lies . “We all have to take responsibility, let’s build success stories”, stressed the government official, recalling the importance of consultations with family doctors and the coordination between health services, which he guarantees.
It is also worth remembering that all the money raised in this initiative goes entirely to the Portuguese League Against Cancer.
