ULSTER GAA RENEWS CHARITY PARTNERSHIP WITH QUEEN’S IN SUPPORT OF PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH 
28 June 2021
Ulster GAA is encouraging everyone to get behind an important fundraising initiative, in aid of their Charity Partner for 2021, supporting prostate cancer research at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR) at Queen’s.
It’s the third year that Ulster GAA has undertaken to work with Queen’s to support leading edge prostate cancer research.
Over 4,500 men in Ireland are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. In the UK, prostate cancer deaths have exceeded those from breast cancer for the first time, with over 11,000 men per year dying of aggressive forms of prostate cancer. At present, 1 in 8 men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime, with an increased risk for those aged 50 or more (the majority of cases are diagnosed in men aged 65+) or with a family history of prostate cancer.
The prostate cancer research team, based at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research and the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, led by oncologists Professor Joe O'Sullivan, Professor Suneil Jan and Dr Aidan Cole, is focused on improving treatments for those patients with the most serious types of prostate cancer.
Ulster GAA President, Oliver Galligan, said:
“I am delighted to renew our charity partnership and continue to support prostate cancer research at Queen’s University Belfast as Ulster GAA’s charitable cause for 2021.
“The reach of the GAA family will help to create greater awareness of the disease and help with early detection, while funds raised will go directly to world-class research being undertaken by the team at Queen’s.”
Dr Aidan Cole from Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queen’s said:
“The prostate cancer research team at Queen’s is delighted to renew this partnership with the Ulster Council GAA to improve education, diagnosis and management of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in our communities.
“We are proud of our strong links with the GAA community and endeavour to provide our patients with the best treatments available and lead in clinical trials that can transform the treatment of prostate cancer in the future.”
Prostate cancer is often diagnosed when men present to their GP with urinary symptoms, such as getting up more frequently at night to urinate, having an inability to empty their bladder completely or going to the toilet more frequently. It is important to note that whilst these symptoms can prompt investigations, more often than not, they indicate a benignly enlarged prostate. Many men are diagnosed with prostate cancer following routine checks in the absence of symptoms, most commonly, a routine blood test called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA).
The Prostate Clinical Research Team at Queen’s comprises a team of Clinical Research and NHS Consultant Oncologists, coupled with expert scientific research from the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research. The team’s ethos is to improve patient care through world-class clinical trials of new treatments.
Internationally renowned, the team leads the way in innovative trials which have improved treatment for many men, increased survival rates and reduced the side effects from treatment.
In addition to improving education for patients and healthcare workers, the team supervises research from medical students, scientists, physicists and clinical doctors to sustain a culture of ongoing excellence in prostate cancer research. It is dedicated to ensuring that patients and their families have the best treatments at the correct time and that survival rates continue to improve for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
If your club would like to get involved in creating greater awareness of prostate cancer, please contact Maura McMenamin. To support GAA fundraising efforts please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ulster-GAA1
For further information on supporting health-related research projects at Queen’s, including prostate cancer research, visit the Development and Alumni Relations Office website or contact Stephen O'Reilly, Regular Giving Manager at Queen’s University Belfast.
For general enquiries about this story, or to submit graduate news items, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast.
Pictured above (L-R): Dr Aidan Cole, Consultant Clinical Oncologist/Senior Lecturer, Queen’s University Belfast and Oliver Galligan President, Ulster GAA.
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