This is a follow-up to a post I wrote about a creative advertising contest in which the UK Prostate Cancer Charity took first place in the “Wild Card” category.  . The winner of this contest will have their message posted on the sides of the buses that ply the streets of London.  Now the last round of voting is taking place, *for the “Grand Prix”*, and I would really appreciate your taking a minute to go to this website and vote to support PC awareness.  *Voting is only going on until July 23*, but you can vote everyday.

We must do everything we can to help our British brothers with whom we do have a “special relationship”.  PSA testing is not done in Britain as often as it is in the US (about half of men over 50 in the U.S. are routinely screened), and as a result, many men in the U.K. are diagnosed with later-stage prostate cancer when fewer treatment options are available.

But PSA testing is not a panacea. We have to educate men as  best we can  to recognize early symptoms of prostate cancer.  My husband went to the doctor  only because he had trouble urinating.  This is a typical symptom of BPH (Benign Prostate Enlargement), but it can also indicate prostate cancer.    The doc did a PSA and a DRE — and the rest is history.

I just want to say something about the merits of the UKPCC ad, because this contest is about creativity after all.  I did some work as a copywriter  myself in the past, but here I am speaking simply as a member of the online PC community.  I think the ad is clever and effective.  It’s a real attention-getter that will save lives. (I can’t imagine posting a picture of a toilet on a bus in NY.  We are such prudes!)

A final word: one of the other competitors is a lingerie company, and let’s make sure they don’t win because sex sells big-time.