• Market leader in men’s underwear, M&S, is teaming up with Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy to encourage more men to check their risk of prostate cancer.
• M&S will harness the platform of its Irish stores, M&S.ie and social channels to drive a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer.
• From today until the end of March, €5 from every pack of all M&S Autograph men’s underwear will also be donated to the Marie Keating Foundation*.
Marks & Spencer is teaming up with Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy and the Marie Keating Foundation to encourage more men to take ‘a brief check’ for prostate cancer.
The campaign will see M&S leverage its market leading position in men’s underwear, along with its customers and 1,800 colleagues in Ireland to spark a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer.
M&S and Sir Chris Hoy will be encouraging men across the UK and Ireland use risk checking tools that enables men to find out their risk and what they can do about it.
According to Marie Keating Foundation, one in six men will get prostate cancer and the condition affects over 4.000 men a year in Ireland. M&S is calling on not only men to check their risk online but for the women in their lives to play a role in the conversation.
M&S will harness the platform of its stores, website and social channels to drive nationwide conversation about prostate cancer. This includes QR codes being rolled out to all Clothing & Home stores at point of sale and fitting rooms, as well as on the product listing pages of men’s Autograph underwear on M&S.ie. The retailer will also be donating €5 per pack for all men’s Autograph underwear (excluding vests and socks) to the Marie Keating Foundation until the end of March, further supporting the charity’s life-changing work.
Sir Chris Hoy commented: “When M&S approached me, this campaign felt like a no brainer, I really believe that together, we can make a difference. It’s amazing to know that we’re going to raise vital funds for groundbreaking research into prostate cancer – but on top of that, we have the platform and opportunity to break the stigma and talk about it.
“As men, we know we can be pretty poor at putting our health to the top of our priorities and are reluctant to talk about it, but prostate cancer often has no symptoms. Therefore, one simple check, really can save lives. So, my ask to everyone is to spark a conversation and check, mate.”
Mitch Hughes, Menswear Director, Clothing & Home at M&S commented: “When Sir Chris Hoy was diagnosed with prostate cancer, it brought the condition front of mind for a lot of us and made men like me question, how would I know if I’m at risk? As a market leader in men’s underwear, we felt we had the opportunity to support his inspiring message.”
“That’s why, I’m really proud that we have teamed up with one of the most decorated Olympians and Marie Keating Foundation, to spark a nationwide conversation and help more men check their risk – just as we launch our first men’s underwear campaign in over ten years.”
Urology Nurse Specialist and Director of Nursing Services at the Marie Keating Foundation, Helen Forristal commented: “Men typically get a bad reputation for not speaking about their health, but when resources and supports are put in place, we see that this is not the case, and men love to talk and learn from each other. A campaign like this is designed to give men an opening to speak about their health with others, and this can be exactly what some men need, a little bit of encouragement to go to their GP. M&S are harnessing their platform in stores and online to drive a conversation about prostate cancer and help to break the stigma and talk about it. This is to be applauded; they are doing this while raising funds for our cancer support services is something we are very grateful for. The Marie Keating Foundations message is simple, know your family history when it comes to cancer, if you are 50, ask your GP to consider checking your PSA levels. If you are between 40-45 with a family history of prostate or breast cancer, have that conversation. It could save your life.”
Today, M&S has launched its first ever underwear campaign which spans across menswear and womenswear, ‘Make an Understatement’, visible across the retailers stores as well as M&S.ie.
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€5 of the sales price of the Autograph underwear pack (excluding Autograph MerinotecTM) and vests. will be donated to Prostate Cancer charity, Marie Keating Foundation LTD, which gives all its taxable profits to the Marie Keating Foundation (Registered Charity Number 20038953).
For further information, please contact:
M&S Corporate Press Office: +44 (0)20 8718 1919 [email protected]
About the Marie Keating Foundation:
Following their mother Marie’s death from breast cancer in 1998, the Keating family promised to provide the people of Ireland with vital information, advice and support on the signs and symptoms of cancer and help to prevent cancer or detect it at its earliest stages. The Marie Keating Foundation was established in her memory and with this central ambition in mind.
The Foundation's mission is to make cancer less frightening by enlightening and their aim is to live in a world free from the fear of cancer.
Today, the Marie Keating Foundation is one of the leading voices in Ireland for cancer prevention, awareness, and support. They are committed to being there for people diagnosed with cancer, and their families at every step of this cancer journey, and their services reflect that. Through the Foundation’s information and support services, they reach thousands of people every year, giving education, information and advice focused on cancer prevention and early detection, as well as providing support services and financial assistance to those living with and beyond cancer.
Their team and Board work tirelessly to ensure that the mission and legacy that the Keating Family established 27 years ago is fulfilled, and everyone in Ireland has access to trusted information on cancer prevention and early detection and that those on a cancer journey have the support they need to come through it.
For more information, please visit www.mariekeating.ie.
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