Free cancer screenings in memory of Aussie footballer

By Declan Byrne It has been almost 18 months since his death, but Perth-born football star Dylan Tombides is continuing to find a way to help those around him. This weekend the foundation started in his memory, DT38, is offering men a free testicular ultrasound. Tombides, a former young Socceroo and West Ham United player, died last year aged 20 after a three year battle with testicular cancer. Mark Lee, a veteran of the Perth football scene, is an ambassador for the DT38 Foundation. He believes increasing the awareness of testicular cancer through the foundation is the best way to be prevent more deaths. “There is a lot of talk here about the football family, I think this is a wonderful way to bring the family together on a scale much bigger than football. “The fact that this happened to such a fit young person makes you aware that testicular cancer can happen to anyone … there’s a wonderful opportunity coming up to get a scan and a screening so it just hits home, the importance of early detection,” he said.   According to the Cancer Council of WA, testicular cancer has one of the best survival rates of all cancers, hovering at around 98%. Despite this, Melissa Ledger, the Cancer Smart Manager of the Cancer Council of WA, says young men need to remain aware of the threat of testicular cancer. “Testicular cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men aged 15 to 39, this is an age when many younger men may not think they are at risk of cancer, so it is important young men know about this cancer and its signs and symptoms and they are able to talk about these with their doctor,” she said. “Importantly young men need to recognise and respond to symptoms of testicular cancer. Men are often aware something isn’t right … they need to act on this feeling.” The free testicular scans are available to men aged 15-45 at Ultrasound Services Applecross on October 10. Spaces are limited so people are urged to sign up as soon as possible by visiting the Ultrasound Services website. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9FR0mP0Ii0&w=560&h=315]