A building society employee has helped raise the money for a prostate check day at the Swansea.com stadium thanks to a £7,150 donation.
Claire Atherton and the Swansea branch of Nationwide got involved with setting up the event while volunteering for the Swansea City AFC Foundation’s recent Everyone Deserves campaign. She applied for Nationwide’s Colleague Grants programme, which gives staff members involved with local charities the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £10,000.
The grant funded the cost of a free prostate testing day at the Swansea.com Stadium, with 250 PSA tests used to detect blood proteins produced by the prostate gland.
Nationwide encourages its staff to get involved with the community by offering two days of dedicated paid volunteering time a year.
Claire Atherton, Member Relationships Director at Nationwide in South West Wales, said:
“I was so happy to hear that Nationwide have donated enough to cover a free prostate test day at the Swansea.com Stadium. It really feels like an extension of my own hard work and it’s great for us to get the word out there.
“There should be no stigma around prostate checks – they’re a vital part of mid-life care, in the same way that treatment for the menopause is.”
Tina Tew, Chief Executive at Prostate Cymru, said:
“We would like to say thank you to Nationwide for funding the PSA tests of 250 Swansea City season ticket holders. It's a fantastic pilot to be involved in, and we are grateful for the collaboration with Swansea City AFC and Nationwide to provide this service. Prostate cancer can be symptomless, and an early diagnosis can save lives. This initiative is a crucial step towards reducing the devastating impact of prostate cancer. We are thrilled to be part of this endeavour and extend our sincere thanks to Nationwide for their support.”
