Health & Wellbeing

Loving mum Mandy Taylor is taking on yet another gruelling challenge event to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.  Mandy, 50, is taking on Great Strides 65 in The Yorkshire Dales, an epic 65kilometre, or 40mile, trek through Hawes, Thwaite, Muker & Reeth which climbs to a height of 1290m over the course of 17 hours.

“My son has cystic fibrosis and so my husband Chris and I have done various fundraising activities for the Trust over the years. When I saw the Great Strides event advertised, it was entirely different to anything we had done before”, says Mandy.

Great Strides 65 was set up back in 2015 to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Originally just taking place in the Surrey Hills, it has now grown to include the Peak District, Brecon Beacons and Yorkshire Dales, and now even includes the three-peak series, scaling Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, the mere thought of which is enough to exhaust anyone. But none of that phases Mandy, who is taking on her third of the four 65k treks.

She’s doing all this for her son Sam, who has cystic fibrosis, a life-limiting genetic condition which affects around 10,400 people in the UK.  It not only affects the lungs and digestive system but the whole body, making activities like walking, sleeping and even eating a daily challenge. People with cystic fibrosis often look perfectly healthy. But it’s a lifelong challenge involving a vast daily intake of drugs and time-consuming physiotherapy.

Mandy won’t be alone when she takes on yet another epic challenge. Great Strides is a team event, with teams of four or five, plus a support driver, working together to reach the finish line.

“I’ve run a marathon and two half marathons for the Trust, but before Great Strides I hadn’t organised a big group of people like this before. Our team name is the ‘Optimistic Striders’.

We’re optimistic for the future treatment and a possible cure for cystic fibrosis and we’re also optimistic that we’ll be able to finish the treks!”

“We’ve had great fun on the training walks and explored some beautiful countryside that I never would have seen otherwise. The fun and camaraderie while training and during the events themselves have created memories that will always stay with me. The exhilaration of completing such a mammoth challenge is also hard to beat!”

After taking part in Yorkshire Great Strides this year Mandy will have completed three of the four treks and has been contemplating going for the full set, “That depends”, says Mandy, “on who I can blackmail, coerce and persuade to join us again! But seriously, to anyone who’s considering taking on one of these events I’d say, do it! You’ll have a fabulous time, you’ll get fitter, and you will really get to know your teammates better!

And best of all, you’ll raise lots of money towards the vital work of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.”

She’s hoping all this will help make a real difference in cystic fibrosis research.

“A breakthrough in the research and treatment of CF would literally be life-changing. We are all very mindful of the reduced life expectancy in CF and as Sam gets older, this tends to take greater emphasis.”

“The whole family has been getting involved in fundraising. Sam’s dad Chris and his brothers Josh and Jacob are talented musicians and have put a lot of effort into holding charity music events over the years. Alex Lleo, a local singer songwriter has also supported them over the years and many of our friends have helped stage the events. I tend to do more in the way of physical challenges as I can't sing a note or play an instrument, but I can run and walk!

Kate Hall, Events manager at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said, ‘Mandy has led her teams through Brecon Beacons and the Peak District already, so we’re thrilled she’s making the journey North so take on Great Strides Yorkshire Dales this year. People like Mandy are vital to what we do in the fight for a life unlimited by cystic fibrosis, nor would we be able to offer the level of support we currently offer to those with CF and their families.”

Great Strides events consist of 4 treks, 3 peaks and 1 ultra-marathon.  Challenges include the Peak District, 1 June 2019; Surrey Hills, 8 June 2019; Brecon Beacons, 29 June 2019; Yorkshire Dales, 6 July 2019; Snowden 10-12 May 2019; Scafell Pike, 2-4 August 2019; Ben Nevis 28-30, September 2019; Triple Challenge, 2019 and the extreme Ultra Marathon.

A seriously ill mum-of-two has launched a “goody bag” for cancer and end-of-life patients treated at a West Midlands healthcare Trust.Sally Gutteridge, 44, of Tipton, thought of the idea after she underwent treatment for cancer at City Hospital, in Birmingham.

Now the mum-of-two has been working with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust’s Your Trust Charity to put together the bag which contains items such as puzzle books, a patient journal, sweets, non-fragrance wet-wipes, shampoo and tissues.

‘Sally’s Sunshine Packs’ have been funded by money raised by the mum through various events she has held over the last year.

She said: “These goody bags will mean so much to cancer patients. I remember seeing others undergoing treatment who were there by themselves. I just thought it would have been so nice for them to have something that they could take home, that was useful.

“These bags will put a smile on the faces of the patients - and let’s face it everyone likes a freebie. I decided to join forces with Your Trust Charity because it meant I could really give something back to the people who have been caring for me.”

She added: “By working with the charity, I can see where this money is going and how it is helping patients. It is more personal to me.”

Current chemotherapy patient Linda Smith, on receiving the bag, said: “I think it’s a very good idea – there’s a good selection of stuff in here. It’ll keep me quite busy. Even the bag is very useful.”

Jenny Donovan, Cancer Services Manager, added: “Chemotherapy treatment can be overwhelming and may affect you physically and emotionally. The bags will provide a range of genuinely useful and thoughtful products to make it easier to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.

“Sally is an inspirational lady who through her own health challenges had dedicated her time in raising funds and developing the contents with Your Trust Charity. The brilliant bags will provide comfort and support to our patients to our patients and we see this project as something that could eventually be rolled out nationwide.”

Joy Thornley, 56 from Cannock, in the West Midlands, knew she had to do something about her weight and after some thought in January 2018; she re-joined her local WW (the new Weight Watchers) workshop on a Saturday morning.

She was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 27 and for years ignored the facts around the disease which lead to further health problems. It took years of illness for Joy to eventually consider that losing weight could help reduce the pain she was suffering.

Joy's WW weight loss coach, Nicky Orton, encouraged Joy on her journey and kept Joy positive with every lb lost. Joy now sees that those little losses all add up to the bigger ones.

“I knew I needed to lose quite a bit of weight,” she said, “so after a few weeks thinking about the reasons why I wanted to lose the weight I joined WW in January 2018.

I had been to WW before so I sort of knew what to expect but I was still nervous walking in to the workshop, but there was no need to be nervous as it was a friendly group headed by my lovely wellness coach Nicky.

After her last diabetic check-up she was amazed when her diabetic nurse congratulated her and told her the fantastic results that not only had her blood sugars lowered but her blood pressure, cholesterol levels and kidney functions were all normal.

Joys start weight was 15st 6lbs and although she’s still on her journey to a healthy BMI her current weight is 11st 8lbs, 54lbs lost in total; “The WW freestyle plan is very easy to follow and with over 200 zero pointed foods, I have food that is very flexible to still enjoy meals out and enjoy the food I love. “

Her starting weight was 15st 6lb; her current weight is 11st 8lb - an amount 54ib lost.

A 21-year-old apprentice from the Black Country, who works in Birmingham, has scooped a top national award as part of celebrations to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2019.

As part of Public Health England’s (PHE) second annual Apprenticeship Celebration Event, the very first Apprentice Awards were held in London. PHE’s apprentices and fellow colleagues from across the country came together to celebrate those who had completed their apprenticeships and congratulate award winners. With PHE’s Chief People Officer, Deb McKenzie presenting awards to winners and medals for completed apprenticeships.

Awards were in three categories:

Rising Star of the Year – which celebrates someone who has progressed rapidly since starting their apprenticeship at PHE, awarded to Jasmine Oloya, an apprentice with the national communications team based in London

Mature Learner of the Year – for the apprentice who has invested in learning further on in their career, while still committing to their full-time role, awarded to Chenchal Dhami, a National Infection Service Lab Technician, based in London

Young Apprentice of the Year – awarded to an apprentice who has recently joined the organisation, but has made fantastic progress so far on their apprenticeship journey and adapted well to their first role at PHE

The Young Apprentice of the Year award was won by Omar Francis (21) from Oldbury, who works as a Public Health Support Officer in the PHE West Midlands Centre, based in Birmingham. Omar joined PHE West Midlands in May 2018, for an apprenticeship based in the Health and Wellbeing Team, which concludes in August 2019.

Dr Lola Abudu, Director for Health and Wellbeing at PHE West Midlands, said: “Omar is a confident, hardworking colleague who is able to manage a busy workload, has a flair for organisation, an eye for detail, patience and tenacity. Always polite, Omar has the ability to anticipate complications and explain difficulties. He has been able to employ some great negotiation skills to find a compromise and agree the best options for a situation. He is able to adapt to the unexpected while remaining calm and professional. An all-round excellent team member – we are all incredibly proud Omar has won the award for Young Apprentice of the Year, it is well deserved.”

Born in Oldbury, Omar gained a Diploma in Music Production and Performance from Matthew Boulton College in Birmingham in 2016. A keen musician, Omar and some school friends had started a band for fun in 2011, but while at college he put together another band - playing drums, guitar and singing backing vocals – and has regularly played gigs around the West Midlands. While enjoying using his creative talents, Omar wanted a career path that would help people in some way, so applied for a 15-month apprenticeship at Public Health England in February 2018.

Award winner, Omar Francis said: “I’ve been very fortunate and had a loving family who supported me to pursue my goals, but I know there are many people who lead very different lives, and working in the public sector is a great way to try to help people. Since joining PHE, I’ve been impressed by the work ethic of colleagues and the breadth of topics covered by public health; the experience has really inspired me to make a difference. I have particularly enjoyed working with Health and Wellbeing colleagues to support people with addiction problems and in recovery, and work done with the prison population and former offenders. I am looking forward to working to help people experiencing homelessness and I’m also passionate about mental health.

“I am absolutely delighted and extremely surprised to have won the Public Health England Young Apprentice of the Year Award. I only found out I had been nominated a few days before I was told I had won, so I’m still in shock. It is a great honour and a testament to the professional and personal support I’ve received from my fabulous colleagues. After my apprenticeship ends, I really hope to stay with PHE West Midlands as a permanent member of the team.”

Young women are putting off smear tests due to feelings of embarrassment, a new survey suggests.

Around 220,000 British women are diagnosed with cervical abnormalities every year and there were 854 deaths from cervical cancer in England in 2016.

But, despite the fact that cervical screening can help detect changes to cells that could eventually lead to cancer, smear test attendance is plummeting, as low as one in two among young women in some areas of the UK.

Concerned about the issues which are contributing to the decline, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust surveyed more than 2,000 women aged 25 to 35 about their experiences.

It found that of 915 women who delayed a test or had never gone for screening, 71 per cent felt scared while 75 per cent felt vulnerable.

Eight out of 10 (81 per cent) also admitted to feeling embarrassed, while 67 per cent said they would not feel in control.

When asked what had caused them to delay or miss a test, 72 per cent said embarrassment, while 69 per cent said they felt uncomfortable with a stranger examining the genital area.

Almost six in 10 (58 per cent) were scared it would hurt, while 37 per cent did not know what would happen during the test.

Of all women surveyed, 68 per cent said they would not tell their nurse about their worries, with almost half saying they regularly delayed or did not go for tests.

Other concerns among all women were a fear of being judged (18 per cent) or thinking their concerns were too silly or small (16 per cent). 

As a result of the findings, the charity launched its #SmearForSmear campaign just before the recent Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

It tackled the decline in the number of women attending smear tests by highlighting the support available to women and providing tips on how to cope if you're feeling anxious.

Robert Music, chief executive at Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said: “Smear tests provide the best protection against cervical cancer yet we know they aren’t always easy. 

“We want women to feel comfortable talking to their nurse and asking questions. It’s not making a fuss and there are many ways to make the test easier. Please don’t let your fears stop you booking a test.”

Dr Philippa Kaye, author, GP and ambassador of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust added: “Across the UK nurses and doctors take millions of smear tests every year. 

“We honestly don’t think about what you’re wearing, what you look like, whether or not you’ve shaved - we just want to offer the best test we can to as many women as possible. 

“We’ve seen and heard it all before and want to put your mind at ease if you have questions or concerns. Ask the things you want to know and remember you can say stop any time - it’s your test."

The NHS in Birmingham will be visiting local mosques and gurdwaras to screen eligible people, who may be carrying tuberculosis (TB) without realizing it.

If you are aged 16-35, were born in one of the 70 at-risk countries, including Thailand, India and the Philippines (or have spent more than six months in one of these countries) and have entered the UK within the last five years, you could be carrying TB.  This is known as latent, or ‘sleeping’, TB. Latent TB can be detected by a simple blood test.

Latent TB has no symptoms and can remain dormant for years in the person’s lungs, without them knowing that they have the bacteria. The bacteria remain inactive and non-infectious, until triggered. Triggering effects can include dramatic lifestyle changes, or other illnesses, that can weaken the immune system. Once active, TB becomes contagious and, if left untreated, can be fatal.

The test will be carried out by specialist nurses and will be carried out in a private and sterile environment.

The following event is taking place:

• Screening event: 8 March 2019, 11am-3pm at Birmingham Central Mosque, Belgrave Middleway, Birmingham, B12 0XS

Dr Raj Ramachandram, GP and clinical lead for the local TB programme, said: “Testing for latent TB is easy, and can be done at one of the screening events or at a person’s GP practice. We are hoping by going into the local community, this will help build awareness of TB and latent TB and will also educate local people about this condition, how it can easily be tested and treated.”

Diabetes UK is looking for healthcare professionals from the Midlands to lead improvements in diabetes care. The charity is searching for consultants, nurses, GPs, dieticians, podiatrists, pharmacists and psychologists to take part in its Clinical Champions programme.

The award-winning initiative launched in 2014, in partnership with Novo Nordisk, to address the significant variation in patient care and treatment for people living with diabetes in the UK.

Since the programme began, 85 clinicians have been recruited to develop their leadership skills and become champions for improving diabetes care. Between them they have trained thousands of other healthcare professionals, developed innovative new clinics, reduced medication errors and increased the number of people getting the appropriate treatment for their diabetes.

The new champions will be selected based on their leadership potential, clinical expertise and a demonstrable passion for transforming care for people with diabetes. They will be supported with two years of training alongside their clinical work, to help them become strong leaders, identify improvements and drive vital change in diabetes services in their local areas.

Peter Shorrick, Midlands and East of England Regional Head for Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes is the most devastating and fastest growing health crisis of our time, affecting 4.6 million people. That’s more than any other serious health condition in the UK. When diabetes is not well managed, it is associated with serious complications including amputation, sight loss, stroke and kidney failure.

“Clinical Champions help transform diabetes care and support and provide clinical leadership, which in turn reduces the risk of devastating complications and makes a meaningful difference to the lives of people with diabetes.”

A researcher at Birmingham City University is aiming to boost staff physical activity levels, health and wellbeing by implementing interventions to encourage staff to exercise at work.

As part of his PhD research in the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Ayazullah Safi has developed five interventions following from his earlier research to encourage colleagues to get active.

These include placing exercise bikes and rowing machines in staff offices, challenging colleagues to complete the 10,000 step challenge and encouraging walking meetings, as well as placing signs promoting health messages by stairs and providing height-adjustable work stations for employees.

Current guidelines state that adults should complete 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, per week as well as strength exercises twice per week to benefit from a reduced risk of a number of health conditions and boosts to mental wellbeing.

However, it is estimated that one third of UK adults are not getting enough exercise.

Ayazullah explained: “Often people say that they don’t have enough time to exercise when they already have busy schedules involving work, family or personal life commitments.

But we know how important exercising is: it can reduce your chance of major illness such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancer by up to 50 per cent as well as being beneficial for mental wellbeing and daily productivity.

If people don’t have time to exercise outside of work, then we need to bring exercise into the workplace. Providing opportunities for staff to step away from their desks for 15 to 30 minutes and get active in the workplace will leave them refreshed and more productive.

There are relatively simple ways businesses can encourage their staff to be more active. Using the stairs instead of the lift or having walking meetings, for example, are easy to implement and cost effective methods.

Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact that lack of exercise and poor fitness levels can have on their physical and mental health both within and outside of the workplace. I hope to provide evidence through my research that these interventions are effective in increasing staff’s physical activity levels, in turn improving their health and wellbeing, and that encouraging exercising at work could be rolled out more widely.”

Ayazullah will monitor and assess the physical activity levels of staff with using a mixture of research methods including questionnaires, focus groups, and ActiGraph - a physical activity monitor.

Ayazullah is one of 50 STEAM Scholars  at Birmingham City University whose research is funded as part of the University’s £3 million initiative to create new subject knowledge and to power cultural, societal and economic improvements in the West Midlands.

Responding to NHS England’s latest winter situation reports, Nick Ville, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation said: “These figures show how vital NHS frontline services are being stretched as hospitals struggle more than ever to see patients within four hours of going into A&E. All parts of the NHS are under intense pressure and this is set to continue.

There is, however, some good news. Fewer patients than last year occupy beds long-term – and this number continues to drop.

Frontline staff can be proud of battling the odds to care for growing numbers of patients across the country, every minute, hour and day.

But we know this isn’t sustainable and we need to find better ways of delivering care to an aging population with ever-more complex needs.

Patients should see some of this intense pressure ease if the new NHS Long Term Plan, with its emphasis on joined-up community care, is implemented well.”

More than 12,000 people have given researchers a greater insight into dementia by playing brain games on their smartphone. Participants, including nearly 1,000 from the West Midlands, complete memory and thinking-based tasks using a smartphone app for just five minutes a day over a month.

Data from their interactions with the app is captured by researchers, helping them understand more about how healthy brains work.

And it is hoped this will eventually enable health professionals to spot the early warning signs of dementia, resulting in improved diagnosis rates.

GameChanger, which was launched last September, is a research project led by the University of Oxford and supported by Alzheimer’s Society.

The app, designed for people who do not have dementia, features a series of games that test specific aspects of memory and thinking that are affected in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Chris Hinds, from University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute, said: “People using the app are just playing games but their phones are doing much more – collecting data that we can use to learn about the brain, and to help us understand what is a natural part of ageing and what is a warning sign.”

Among those who have taken part in the study is Lewis and Inspector Morse star Kevin Whately, who appears in an Alzheimer’s Society video to promote the research project.

In it, he says: “Thank you to all those who have united with Alzheimer’s Society and supported GameChanger.

We’ve taken a big step forward already but we still need thousands more people across the UK to be GameChangers for dementia research.

There’s still plenty of time to take part and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to get involved.”

Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, Dr James Pickett, said: ‘Dementia begins with tiny changes to memory and thinking that can be difficult to detect with current tests.

Our brains also change naturally with age so determining which are healthy changes and which are the very early signs of dementia can make an early and accurate diagnosis difficult.

That’s why Alzheimer’s Society alongside the University of Oxford launched GameChanger to help us detect dementia earlier. We’re asking people across the UK to download an app and play for just five minutes a day to help us understand these changes to memory and thinking.

Thousands of people aged 18 to 90, from cities and countryside, with and without a personal connection to dementia, have already become GameChangers, but we’re calling for more people to join us today.

Using smartphone technology means now, for a fraction of the time and cost, thousands of people can take part in dementia research by donating just five minutes of their day.

In response to NHS England’s monthly performance statistics, Nick Ville, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation said: “The NHS is seeing ever-increasing numbers of patients in A&E and is buckling under the strain.

Despite the best efforts of frontline staff, the number of patients in England treated within target times at A&E reached significant lows.

Yet we should recognise that this is still an achievement for staff, despite us not meeting the target.

We need to find a more sustainable way of providing care to an increasingly aging population with ever-more complex needs.

The new NHS Long Term Plan, with its emphasis on joined-up community care, is good news for patients, who should see some of this intense pressure ease if the plan is implemented well.”

Consultation proposing to restrict prescribing costs of glucose test strips for people with Type 2 diabetes and insulin pen needles for all people with diabetes open

NHS England is consulting on whether to advise Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to restrict the prescription of glucose testing strips for people with Type 2 diabetes and insulin pen needles for all people with diabetes over a certain price as a cost saving exercise. The consultation period will close on February 28^th.

Diabetes UK has expressed concern at the proposals, and will work to ensure that the views and needs of people with diabetes are represented in any final outcome of the consultation. Diabetes UK will submit an official response to the consultation, and is encouraging people with diabetes to submit their views to NHS England.

NHS England has stated in the consultation document that the intention is not to de-prescribe these items, but for CCGs to consider cheaper alternatives. Glucose test strips (for people with Type 2 diabetes) and needles for insulin pens (for all people with diabetes) are the two items relevant for people with diabetes on the list being consulted on.

These items aren’t optional extras or luxuries, they are essential tools for diabetes management, helping people with diabetes stay on top of their condition and avoid complications in the long run.

 Nikki Joule, Policy Manager at Diabetes UK, said: “We believe it’s vital that people with diabetes who are largely self-managing their condition have all the support they need to do so. We worry that these proposals will undermine people’s ability and confidence to do this, and are also concerned that the cheaper needles proposed by NHS England might not be as effective as the more expensive options.

Everyone’s diabetes and diabetes management is different, and it’s vital that the outcome of NHS England’s consultation takes into account people’s preferences and ease of use, not just cost. We are working to ensure that the views and needs of people with diabetes are represented in any final decision.”

NHS England is encouraging people who will be affected by the proposed changes to have their say in the consultation. Diabetes UK will be submitting an official response, and will work to ensure that the views and needs of people with diabetes are represented in any final decision resulting from the consultation.

Items which would be affected if the consultation’s proposals become reality would be blood glucose testing strips costing more than £10 for 50 strips (for people with Type 2 diabetes) and reusable insulin pen needles costing more than £5 for 100 needles (for all people with diabetes) [1].

People with diabetes can get involved by submitting their views via NHS England’s online survey or by attending one of NHS England’s consultation events. People with diabetes can also submit their views to Diabetes UK to help shape Diabetes UK’s response to the consultation.

Did you know that you can still get your flu jab? Uptake of the vaccine has been lower than the national average in Birmingham and Solihull, so residents are being urged to get theirs before they become unwell.

Flu vaccines are still available, so anyone who hasn’t had one is urged to visit their GP or local pharmacy. This is especially important for at-risk groups, including children aged 2-3, over-65s, pregnant women and those with a long-term health condition. Flu is dangerous for people in these groups, and they are entitled to receive their jab for free.

This year’s vaccine has also been described as a ‘good’ match for the common strains of flu that are circulating this year.

Dr Richard Mendelsohn, a local GP and Chief Medical Officer of NHS Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “It’s great news that this season’s flu jab is a strong match for the strains of flu that we are seeing.

It is not too late for local people to have a flu jab, and make sure that they avoid the flu this winter. It’s a nasty illness, and dangerous for those who are in at-risk groups, so we want to do all we can to help local people avoid becoming unwell.”

Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Karen Grinsell, commented: “Even though flu season is upon us, it’s not too late to have your vaccine. It’s free for those most at risk and can prevent you from getting seriously ill. Don’t delay, ask your GP or local pharmacy and get protected as soon as possible.”

Birmingham Council’s Public Health Service Lead, Chris Baggott, added: “Flu is still circulating, and people are still getting ill, so it’s important that everyone who can get the free NHS flu jab knows it’s not too late to speak to their GP or local pharmacist and book an appointment. It’s important that people protect themselves and those they look after, if they are a carer or work in social care.”

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have received a grant worth over £275,000 from leading men’s health charity, Prostate Cancer UK to help develop a new test to accurately show how aggressive someone’s prostate cancer is, in order to help identify the best treatment for each individual man.

The grants was awarded as part of the charity’s £3 million Research Innovation Awards scheme following a competitive process and detailed assessment from international experts. The scheme encourages researchers across the UK to develop forward thinking, ambitious research proposals which challenge the status quo to help fight prostate cancer.

Current tests for prostate cancer can’t tell the difference between an aggressive prostate cancer which will spread quickly and needs immediate treatment, and one which may never grow enough to cause any harm. The study, led by Professor Paula Mendes, will use nanoparticles to test for specific proteins which indicate that the cancer is aggressive.

Professor Mendes said: “Prostate specific antigen, or PSA, is produced naturally by the prostate. A raised level in the blood can indicate a problem, but this doesn’t always mean cancer. This research uses coloured nanoparticles which bind to sugars attached to PSA proteins to see if they can help us tell whether there is actually cancer, and if so, how aggressive it’s likely to be.

We’re so grateful to Prostate Cancer UK for funding this research to help us show how this would work in practice. If we’re successful, we could start clinical trials in the near future, and hope to eventually see this test rolled out for men across the country.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the disease kills one man every 45 minutes in the UK, amounting to more than 11,500 men every year.

Dr Matthew Hobbs, Director of Research at Prostate Cancer UK said: “Prostate cancer is on target to become the UK’s most common cancer by 2030, and every year over 9,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer too late and told that it can’t be cured.

That’s why Prostate Cancer UK is committed to funding innovative research like this to help find a reliable test which could be used as part of a national screening programme to help diagnose men before it’s too late. We’re using our expertise to identify and fund the most innovative research that will help us tame this disease.

To help us fund even more vital research, we’re encouraging everyone to sign up to March for Men, our series of mass participation walking events taking place across the UK this summer. Now in its third year, the event has raised an incredible £825,000 so far. But the march isn't over - we're still on the road to better tests, better treatment and better care. So, we'd like to ask you to pull your boots on again for an even bigger, even better March for Men in 2019.”

Professor Mendes continued: “Without a more accurate test to show how aggressive the cancer will be, it can be hard for doctors to know what will be the best treatment for a particular man. If successful, our long-term aim is for this technology to replace the PSA test, giving doctors more information to help them decide the best treatments to offer.

This is an incredibly exciting time for prostate cancer research and we’re proud to be part of a movement which could bring about real change for men within our lifetimes.”

In a bid to ramp up its fundraising Prostate Cancer UK launched three March for Men walks, in 2017, to help raise the vital funds needed for research.

Two years on, Prostate Cancer UK’s March for Men series includes walks in Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool and London – with more to be announced soon. So far, 6,300 walkers have raised over £825,000 in funds to stop prostate cancer being a killer.

A mental health nurse who leads an award-winning University of Wolverhampton project to support a new way of approaching suicide prevention has been shortlisted for a top award.

Clare Dickens is a finalist in the Thrive Mental Health Star Awards, run by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to celebrate the innovative work people are doing to improve mental health across the West Midlands.

Clare pioneered an award-winning approach to suicide and self-harm prevention, Three Minutes to Save a Life, developed in collaboration with Connecting with People. The approach has been delivered to now more than 1200 University of Wolverhampton staff members, students, police officers, healthcare workers and is also included in allied health care professional curriculum at the university; to include student nurses, post graduate nurse studies, paramedic, physio therapy and pharmacy students.

She has been shortlisted for a 2019 Mental Health Star Award in recognition of her work.

Clare, who is a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing, said: “I am humbled to have been shortlisted and more so that someone has taken time out of their day to write and submit a nomination for these fantastic awards that celebrate local commitment to mental health. Whoever you are, THANK YOU.

“I am incredibly proud of Three Minutes and our collaboration with Connecting with People, and to work for an organisation whose leadership and colleagues have supported and embraced a commitment to set out a paradigm shift in suicide prevention and mental health.”

The ceremony will take place on Thursday, 31 January 2019 at the Hawthorns Football Ground, West Bromwich.

Clare Dickens and University of Wolverhampton students provided insights for a new online safety planning resource designed by 4 Mental Health for those who may be struggling and are finding it difficult to reach out for support. StayingSafe.net www.stayingsafe.net/