A CHARITY has cancelled a world record attempt after potential participants said they would feel too embarrassed checking for testicular cancer in public.
The Robin Cancer Trust, based in Colchester, was hoping to secure the Guinness World Record for the “largest simultaneous self-check for testicular cancer."
The huge effort was due to take place at Sub Zero nightclub at the University of Essex on International Men’s Day, which this year falls November 19.
For the record to have been broken, more than 236 pairs of balls would have needed to have been checked for testicular cancer symptoms at the same time.
Disappointed organisers, however, have now been forced to pull the ambitious event after not enough men signed-up to take part.
A spokesman for the charity said: “It is with great sadness that we have made the difficult decision to cancel our world record attempt.
“We’d like to thank our partners and everyone who signed-up to this event for your passion in supporting this event.
“We know you will be as disappointed as we are that this event can no longer take place, but we have made every effort to promote this event and engage men across.
“But the truth is, we just don't have enough men signed up to make the attempt a success.”
The Robin Cancer Trust was founded by Toby Freeman after his brother Robin, 24, tragically died from a rare form of testicular cancer.
Figures show about 2,400 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the UK but if detected early there is a 98 per cent survival rate.
Despite this, a recent survey carried out by the charity shows just 45 per cent of men in Essex do not regularly check their testicles for signs of cancer.
According to bosses at the Robin Cancer Trust, the stigma around checking for testicular cancer was one of the reasons they had to cancel the world record attempt.
“We received feedback with a lot of younger men saying that it would be embarrassing to check themselves in a room with other men,” the spokesman added.
“This is a stark reminder of how important our work is moving forward – we have a duty to break down the embarrassment of checking ourselves.
“[We must] reduce the stigma surrounding men’s health and continue to raise awareness so young men have the best chance to survive testicular cancer.”
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