Normanton firefighters help ITV’s Lorraine Kelly to tackle cancer as part of #CheckYourChaps campaign

Along with other West Yorkshire fire crews they will be supporting a TV campaign to make men more aware of prostate and testicular cancer.

The Check Your Chaps campaign was launched by the ITV show at the start of this week and tomorrow our firefighters will be featuring in a live broadcast o

Around six operational crew members and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) staff will take part in Thursday’s broadcast, which will include firefighters from stations including Normanton, Idle, Odsal, Fairweather Green and the headquarters in Birkenshaw.

The feature is running all week on the Lorraine programme and offers facts and figures and gives advice on how men can carry out monthly testicular checks.

It urges their partners to prompt men to check themselves and seek medical advice if they have any concerns. It also sheds light on prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in UK men.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Beckley said: “We are hugely in support of Lorraine’s Check Your Chaps ITV campaign which highlights a vital men’s health issue. A high proportion of our workforce is male and whilst our daily jobs are about saving other people’s lives, we can all be guilty of neglecting our own health at times.

“By highlighting prostate and testicular cancer on national TV our firefighters hope to inspire others to dispel the taboo that surrounds the subject and get clued up on how to carry out simple monthly checks.

“After all, our ethos in the fire service is that prevention is better than cure and a massive 98 % of testicular cancer can be treated if caught early enough.”