The Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative is bringing its prostate cancer testing programme to Royal Bank of Scotland’s Gogarburn campus in Edinburgh this weekend.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting in men in Scotland*. To help promote early detection, members of the public and employees of the bank are being offered the opportunity to take a free Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests which can help identify potential signs of the disease.
Royal Bank of Scotland offered colleagues the opportunity for testing yesterday (Friday, September 25) and then open its doors to the public on Saturday, September 26 for a day of testing at its Scottish HQ.
Launched in March by Sir Chris Hoy, Kenny Logan, Professor Sir Chris Evans and Sir Tom Hunter, the Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative was established to improve the early detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer.
The programme, providing free PSA tests to men aged between 40 and 80, also explores how existing pathways for detecting and treating prostate cancer can be improved.
Since testing began in March, the Initiative has provided free PSA tests to more than 17,000 men across Scotland. Demand for appointments has consistently exceeded expectations, with most testing events becoming fully booked within days of being announced, demonstrating the strong public appetite for accessible prostate cancer testing and greater awareness of men’s health.
Participants provide a simple blood sample to measure PSA levels and, in selected cases, additional samples to support advanced diagnostic research aimed at improving understanding of genetic risk factors and other biomarkers associated with prostate cancer.
Professor Sir Chris Evans, founder and Chief Scientific Officer of EDX Medical, the diagnostics company which is delivering the Initiative, said: “The response to the Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative has been extraordinary. Prostate cancer can develop silently, often without symptoms in its early stages which is why early diagnosis is so important.
“I would like to thank Royal Bank of Scotland for hosting these testing sessions at Gogarburn and for their support of the Initiative. By helping us bring free PSA testing to both employees and the wider community, they are playing an important role in raising awareness and helping more men take control of their health.”
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Directly or indirectly, prostate cancer is an issue that impacts the lives of so many of our colleagues and customers across the country.
“We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative to offer free PSA testing here at Gogarburn. Royal Bank plays an important role in the lives of the customers and the communities which we serve and this is an opportunity to make it easier for the public to get themselves tested and guard themselves one of the most common form of cancers here in Scotland.
“We are proud to support an Initiative that can make a positive difference to men’s health across Scotland.”
The Initiative is delivered by EDX Medical in conjunction with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust.
Testing takes place at Gogarburn TODAY Saturday 26 September from 0930 – 1700.
Details of other upcoming testing events can be found at: