STAFF at Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology will turn blue later this month as part of a male cancer awareness week.

'Blue Week' aims to bring health awareness to the region's male population and raise much needed funds to help fight the disease.

According to statistics, this year, 37,000 men will be diagnosed with a male specific cancer.

The week commences on Father's Day, Sunday June 21 with several supporters taking part in the Liverpool Triathlon, raising funds through sponsorship.

It ends on Friday June 26 with 'Blue Day’ at the hospital.

Plenty of fun 'blue' fundraising activities will be taking place with health specialists on hand to give out information and health awareness advice.

Health awareness posters and flat pack collecting boxes have been sent to 1000 local companies with a request to support the week in whatever way they can.

Janet Ratcliffe, fundraising manager for Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, said: "Some companies have already pledged to use their collecting as a 'swear box' to hold fines for anybody turning the air blue' during Blue Week.

Others are holding 'dress in blue' days, selling blueberry muffins at break time, the more bizarre the idea, the better it will help to focus attention on the message that men need to be more body aware.

"Charitable funds allow the Centre to support staff research roles which help to pioneer new treatment techniques. One of these is the 'gold seed marker project' which will be supported from the proceeds of Blue Week. The technique involves using 'gold seed markers' which are implanted into the patient's prostate itself using a non-invasive ultrasound probe.

"The 'markers' enable medical staff to target the prostate gland more precisely during treatment. Each collecting box holds £200, which is the cost of a gold seed marker treatment for one of our prostate cancer patients."

Prostate cancer kills 10,000 men in the UK each year which is one man every hour, while testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15-44.

George Jenkinson, from Birkenhead-based Focus Photography has donated a £250 photography sitting voucher for the 'Banish the Blues' raffle taking place on the day.

He said: "We all know at least one person who has been touched by cancer and I am delighted to support this initiative to get men, including myself, to be more aware of the symptoms of prostate and testicular cancer".

Tickets for the raffle, which includes a range of other prizes, are just £1 and can be purchased by visiting the fundraising office, phoning 0151 482 7948 or visiting the website at www.ccotrust.nhs.uk

A recent survey completed by the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign reported British men are neglecting their health because they believe they are invincible.

Almost 30 per cent of British men surveyed subscribe to an 'I'll be fine' attitude about their health which prevents them from seeing a doctor, while 28 per cent admit they simply do not have time to seek medical advice even when they know they should.

The survey also found that 39 per cent of British men hadn't been to the doctor at all in the last year which is almost twice the number of women at 22 per cent.