A group of walkers determined to raise £300,000 to pay for six prostate cancer specialist nurses have been praised for their determination by Natasha Asghar MS.
The Newport and Islwyn politician joined fundraisers at Rodney Parade over the weekend as they embarked on the final leg of their charity challenge in aid of Prostate Cymru.
Fundraisers have spent the last 44 days walking 1,000 miles around Wales in a bid to drum up vital funds and raise awareness of prostate cancer and the importance of testing.
The group set off from Rodney Parade on Sunday morning for the last leg of their fundraising mission which saw them trek from Newport to Cardiff.
Natasha Asghar MS met with the walkers and gave a short speech before they marched off towards the capital.
She praised their fundraising efforts and highlighted just how vital the money raised will be in improving outcomes for those with prostate cancer in Wales.
Throughout the Walk of Wales challenge, Prostate Cymru has been hosting community awareness talks and arranging PSA blood testing events.
More than 1,000 men have taken part in the PSA blood testing events, including more than 100 men in Newport.
The fundraisers are just shy of their £300,000 target with around £260,000 raised so far.
Natasha Asghar MS said:
“Walking 1,000 miles around Wales is no easy feat, but the team have done a stellar job in drumming up vital funds, raising awareness of prostate cancer, and encouraging men to get tested.
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Welsh men with 1-in-8 being diagnosed with it during their lifetime, and testing is so important because early-stage prostate cancer typically doesn’t present with symptoms or warning signs.
“I really do take my hat off to this amazing team of fundraisers. The £300,000 will directly fund six specialist prostate cancer nurses, ensuring there is a dedicated nurse in each health board across Wales to support men.
“Going forward I will be doing all I can to support, including by making sure the Welsh Government takes the necessary steps to improve outcomes for those with prostate cancer.”
Anyone interested in donating to the fundraising efforts can do so via this link: https://prostatecymru.enthuse.com/cp/52b3b/WalkofWales?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo0ebra2mt&fbclid=IwY2xjawTmaDpwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMGt6VFc0d3NBV1IydktnUThzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEePb6eYjNjduGHfyrCdXBlY6oCrv7FgRv2pVBrKc6pVGIv4l3eN24yFUz6Etc_aem_DFXSSKnL2qyUSB7Lzj8oRA#!/
