Read the story of when AFTV’s Robbie Lyle walked 37 miles around London’s Premier League football stadiums to raise over £10,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.
Prostate cancer affects men of all backgrounds, but research provided by Prostate Cancer UK consistently shows that Black men face a significantly higher risk than other ethnic groups.
In the UK, around 1 in 4 Black men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime, compared with 1 in 8 men overall. This means Black men are approximately twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease as White men.
The increased risk is also reflected in mortality statistics. Around 1 in 12 Black men are expected to die from prostate cancer, compared with 1 in 24 White men. Experts believe this higher death rate is largely due to the greater likelihood of developing the disease in the first place, rather than Black men being less likely to survive once diagnosed. When prostate cancer is detected and treated appropriately, outcomes are broadly similar across ethnic groups.
Scientists are still working to understand exactly why Black men are at greater risk. Current evidence suggests that lifestyle factors alone do not explain the difference. Instead, researchers believe inherited genetic factors are likely to play an important role, although more research is needed to identify the specific causes.
Because of this elevated risk, health organisations recommend that Black men become aware of prostate cancer earlier than the general population.
In the UK, Black men aged 45 and over are encouraged to discuss their risk with their GP, particularly if they also have a close family member, such as a father or brother, who has had prostate cancer. Early diagnosis can make a significant difference, as prostate cancer often develops without noticeable symptoms in its early stages.
Robbie’s incredible journey
Robbie Lyle, founder of AFTV, DR Sports, and Global Fan Network, has supported many charitable causes throughout his long career, in line with AFTV’s mission to always give back to football fans whenever possible.
None, however, were as physically gruelling as the task he set himself to help raise awareness of prostate cancer.
Between the 13th and 15th June 2024, Robbie decided that, while many bravely choose to run 26-mile marathons to help raise awareness for causes close to their hearts, he would take on a different type of challenge – walking to all of London’s Premier League Stadiums.
His route saw Robbie start at Brentford’s G-Tech Stadium and pass Fulham’s Craven Cottage, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Crystal Palace’s famed Selhurst Park, West Ham’s London Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, ending at his beloved Emirates Stadium, home of The Arsenal.
The whole ordeal took Robbie days to complete, and better still, he raised £10,800 for Prostate Cancer UK in the process, helping put the fight against prostate cancer onto the global stage.
Robbie also met multiple people who explained to him how prostate cancer had affected their lives, further fuelling his desire to complete the mission and raise awareness.
Using football to tackle the real problems
Speaking at the time, Robbie told Prostate Cancer UK how football must be used to help spread the word about other, much more significant problems that must be tackled and fought.
“I’m trying to use football to spread the word, to let people know about prostate cancer,” Robbie said. “I hope that this march does that.
“One in eight men and one in four black men get prostate cancer. We need to raise awareness and to raise money to stop men from dying. We need to let men know about their risk so that they can get checked so they can prevent it.
“Meeting people along the way that had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and hearing their stories really emphasises how important it is to catch prostate cancer early. I really want to support this work because this disease affects so many men.”
