Durham University student signs up as charity ambassador to educate young men about the dangers of testicular cancer
A Durham University student will be combining her studies with another role in education after signing up to support a testicular cancer charity. Iona Landale has secured the role of university ambassador for The OddBalls Foundation and from the autumn term will be helping the organisation to encourage men to check themselves for signs of the disease, the most prominent form in males aged 15-49.
Twenty-on-year-old Iona, who is originally from Perthshire in Scotland, is studying Human Geography at the university. A keen fan of equestrian pursuits, in particular eventing, Iona has also got involved in various other aspects of university life and was recruited by an existing university ambassador from The OddBalls Foundation during a recent visit to Durham.
The OddBalls Foundation was founded in 2015 and is closely associated with colourful underwear brand OddBalls. Someone is diagnosed with testicular cancer every hour in the UK, but if detected early, it is curable in over 90% of cases. The foundation’s university ambassadors visit schools, universities and workplaces, delivering talks on testicular cancer, and reminding boys and men to check their testicles, removing any stigma and embarrassment about that and the disease. The ambassadors also place The OddBalls Foundation’s Check Yourself Guides in public spaces and workplaces.
Iona comments: “As a female I really wanted to do my bit in opening up the conversation and breaking the taboo about testicular cancer among the boys who are close to me, but also the girls.
I am keen to promote The OddBalls Foundation, as well as the underwear, at the Durham fashion shows, as these are hugely popular among the students from Durham and further afield, so are a great way to get the message out there about the importance of checking yourself.”
In her role as a university ambassador for The OddBalls Foundation, Iona is keen to have an open dialogue with men who want to learn more about testicular cancer and how to check for signs of the disease. She welcomes contact from anyone who wants to talk and can be reached by sending an email for her attention to Hello@TheOddBallsFoundation.com.
To find out more about The OddBalls Foundation and its work visit https://theoddballsfoundation.com and www.facebook.com/TheOddBallsFoundation, or follow @oddballsfdn on Instagram and Twitter.
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