Hire a Hubby has teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) to get the ‘be a man, get yourself checked’ message across to Australian men. 

The franchise is seeking to encourage Australian men to book an appointment with their GP and get themselves checked for the cancer that causes more than 3000 deaths each year in Australia.

The partnership will see Hire a Hubby franchisees donate one dollar from every invoice to the PCFA in a bid to raise more than $125,000 to fund the charity’s ManVan initiative.

The ManVan, which is quite literally a van, will travel to community events including cricket matches as well as vintage car and health service events to raise awareness about prostate cancer.

The first van will commence operation this year, and the aim is to see each Australian state eventually receive a ManVan.

Brendan Green, CEO, Hire a Hubby said some of the company’s franchisees have experienced prostate cancer first hand, and others are in the age bracket that makes them most susceptible to the disease.

“We started fundraising for prostate cancer internally in 2010 after a couple of the guys in the network were diagnosed with the disease. Since then, it’s become a big part of what we do and what we stand for.

“We’ve got around 300 blokes who provide property maintenance expertise in people’s homes every day and most of them are in the age bracket where prostate cancer is a real possibility. We are in a great position to do what we can to get people talking about prevention,” he added.

The PCFA’s CEO Dr Anthony Lowe said the organisation’s research has uncovered prostate cancer is perceived as an important health issue amongst both men and the wider community.

“Australia has the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world, with over 20,000 men diagnosed annually.

“It’s the second most common cause of cancer deaths in Australian men and sadly over 3,300 men will lose their lives to the disease this year,” he explained.

Lowe said it is imperative Australian men address the issue. “We need people in priority areas educating and encouraging men to talk about prostate cancer and to talk to their doctor about being tested.

“Hire A Hubby will help us establish the ManVan program in every state, which will have an enormous impact on Australian men,” he said.

Green said the entire Hire a Hubby network is passionate about the cause. “We’re committed to placing a ManVan in every state and each of our Hubbies have committed to making it happen by pledging part of their personal earnings.”