The annual Hollard Daredevil Run aims to raise awareness about testicular and prostate cancers.

All proceeds go to the Cancer Association of South Africa and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa to fund testing in under-resourced areas and increase awareness, support and research.

According to Joani Sadie, corporate relationship manager at CANSA, part of the funding from the Hollard Daredevil Run enabled CANSA to conduct over 2 000 PSA blood tests between January 2022 and March 2023. Sixteen of these returned abnormal results and a further 22 were referred for further investigation.

These blood tests are non-invasive and only take a few seconds, but they potentially save lives as high levels of the protein Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) could indicate the presence of prostate cancer, according to Sadie

"Many men may be reluctant to talk about health issues or seek professional help. It is for this reason that cancer may often be diagnosed later and perhaps at a more advanced stage. Increasing awareness about prostate and testicular cancer empowers men to take control of their own health and encourages earlier detection," adds Sadie.

"A pioneering awareness campaign such as the Hollard Daredevil Run is ahead of its time and encourages men to take responsibility for their own health in a way that is fun and innovative," says Sadie.

By 2030, prostate cancer is predicted to be the most common cancer in South Africa, with black African men having an estimated 60% higher risk for prostate cancer than other population groups. The survival rate in men whose prostate cancer is detected early enough is 95%.

"We can never do enough to ensure that every South African male over 40 understands the benefits of age and risk-appropriate screening. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is grateful to be part of the Hollard Daredevil Run, which uses an element of fun to shed light on what is often a scary subject for men," says Andrew Oberholzer, CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa.

"These events are critical as they generate massive educational opportunities on a national level to educate men and boys about prostate and testicular cancer," adds Oberholzer.

While rare, testicular cancer is still the most common cancer affecting males between the ages of 15 and 35. The five-year survival rate for men who are diagnosed and treated for early-stage prostate cancer is over 98%, whereas for men diagnosed with advanced disease only 30% will live longer than five years.

Hollard's objective is to encourage as many men and boys as possible to participate and to achieve the biggest and bravest Hollard Daredevil run ever.

Runners from Johannesburg can join thousands of other daredevils at the annual Zoo Lake event to run five km at 15:00 on Friday, 13 October. Participants can also register to run on their own or in groups anywhere in the country on that day.

Joanna Mondon, head of brand and advertising at Hollard, says that by increasing awareness about testicular and prostate cancer, this event is helping to create better futures for the men in our lives.

"Challenging stereotypes about male cancers, getting men out of their comfort zones, starting conversations about prostate and testicular cancer and sharing that early detection saves lives is what the Hollard Daredevil Run is all about," Mondon concludes.

Tickets for the 2023 Hollard Daredevil Run are now available at Ticketpro at a cost of R180.00. A Daredevil Run registration pack, including a purple speedo, will be couriered to all participants.

For more information, visit www.daredevilrun.com. You can also follow the Hollard Daredevil Run on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.