Cricket tournament in Preston will raise awareness of cancer

Omar Khan, from Preston United Youth Development Programme, came up with the idea to stage a cricket tournament to help engage with the black and minority ethnic community and raise the issue, particularly among BME men.

He said: “Cancer can be a taboo subject within black and ethnic minority communities, and especially men can find it hard to speak up and ask for help.

“We hope this event will bridge the gap and help them to talk about cancer. We don’t want any community to miss out when the help and support is there for them.

“We want to highlight that prevention and early intervention is so important, and the sooner BME men get checked out the better, but we also want to stress that a cancer diagnosis is not the end of the world.

“By staging this cricket tournament, we hope to get these communities together so they can talk to us and tell us what they want and need, whilst at the same time enjoying a great game of cricket.”

Four teams from the Indian and Pakistani communities, as well as a side from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and Macmillan Cancer Support, will go head-to-head in the tournament.

It will take place at Preston Cricket Club in South Meadow Lane on Sunday, August 12. Play is due to start at 9.30am and finish at around 6pm.

During the day experts will answer questions about cancer.