A fantastic response from almost 300 guests at the Ball Tampering Allowed charity fundraising lunch organised by Wilmslow-based MTX Contracts Ltd has generated a total of £51,000 to raise awareness of male-related cancers.
The event at the Stockport County FC ground, Edgeley Park (Thursday, May 22), showcased the activities of the charity and featured guest speaker triple-amputee and veteran Andy Reid, of the Standing Tall Foundation charity based in St Helens. Guests were entertained by the Bridgewater String Quartet.
There were also interviews with Dean Schofield, former professional rugby player with Sale Sharks, Toulon, and Worcester Warriors, and Sky Sports football pundit, former Manchester City and Spurs midfielder Michael Brown, who shared some of their own career experiences.
BTA Trust founder Paul Ferriday talked about his own journey with cancer. Paul explains: “Like many men, I naively believed that cancer only happened to others. After many years competing with my own body and directly associated mental health issues, I hope that sharing my story can make a positive difference to other lives!”
According to Cancer Research UK (CRUK), men are 40% more likely to die from cancer than women overall. Testicular cancer is the leading cause of cancer in males aged 15–35, but it can occur at any age. When detected and treated in the early stages, testicular cancer has an encouraging 96% first-time cure rate, but 1 in 3 sufferers are still being diagnosed at later stages.
MTX has worked nationally for over four decades constructing state-of-the-art healthcare facilities for the NHS using modern methods of construction. A market leader in this specialist sector, MTX is committed to improving healthcare, delivering social value and giving something back, so the charity link is a perfect fit.
Managing Director David Hartley says: “Our unique partnership with BTA and its founder Paul Ferriday means we can work collaboratively, rather than simply donating funds. That mirrors the partnership approach we have pioneered with NHS Trusts, working with them on projects from concept through to completion.”
Drawing on his experience of life-saving surgery, Paul combined his passion for business and sport to establish the men’s health cancer awareness networking charity, which launched with last year’s hugely successful MTX lunch. Honorary president of the BTA charity is cricketing legend Michael Atherton OBE, and the name ‘Ball Tampering Allowed’ is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the controversy during the 1994 Lord's Test against South Africa involving the then-England captain and ‘ball tampering’ (altering the condition of the ball to favour the bowling).
Ball Tampering Allowed is a call to action for early diagnosis of cancer and aims to encourage and educate men of all ages to check regularly and help to overcome the traditional male stigma of ignoring embarrassing personal health symptoms.
