Swansea Building Society has continued its partnership with Prostate Cymru, with over 60 men receiving urgent medical referrals following subsidised prostate cancer screening events sponsored by the society.
The PSA blood test days, which took place in Cowbridge, Swansea, and Carmarthen, saw more than 1,100 men tested – with 63 of those receiving a ‘red letter’ result indicating a potentially serious health concern requiring immediate follow-up.
The partnership between Swansea Building Society and Prostate Cymru was first announced earlier this year, with the Society aiming to raise £25,000 for the charity during 2025.
The decision to support Prostate Cymru was driven by a personal connection: in April 2024, Martin Lewis, the society’s area manager for England was diagnosed with prostate cancer, without any prior symptoms, after attending one of the test days held in collaboration with Swansea City Football Club.
“Attending the Prostate Cymru test day was possibly one of the most important decisions of my life – though I didn’t know it at the time,” explained Mr Lewis, who is currently undergoing treatment.
“Like many men, I had no symptoms and wouldn’t have thought to get tested. I urge others not to wait for symptoms – getting tested could make all the difference.”
The society’s sponsorship has enabled Prostate Cymru to expand its reach and offer subsidised PSA blood testing to hundreds of men in South Wales, many of whom may never have otherwise considered being screened.
Prostate Cymru confirmed that across six test days to date – including those supported by Swansea Building Society – a total of 114 red letter results have been issued.
The charity expressed its gratitude to the society for its commitment and hands-on involvement in every test day.
Staff from across Swansea Building Society actively took part – not just in helping to run the events, but also in stepping forward to be tested themselves.
A spokesperson for Prostate Cymru said: “We could not have contemplated such an ambitious series of days without your support.
“It was fantastic to see so many of your staff involved – your commitment has made a genuine difference.”
Alun Williams, chief executive of Swansea Building Society, said: “We are incredibly proud to see the real and measurable impact our support for Prostate Cymru is already having.
“These results speak volumes about the importance of early detection and the power of community-based testing.
“To know that lives may have been saved thanks to these events is both humbling and motivating. We’re committed to continuing this partnership, raising awareness, and doing all we can to help the charity reach even more people across Wales.”
Looking ahead, Swansea Building Society will continue to raise funds and awareness through a full calendar of events in 2025.
These include taking place in Prostate Cymru’s ‘The Big Walk’, where Society staff will participate in hikes in The Vale (5th July), Carmarthenshire (6th July) and Swansea (19th July).
Other initiatives will be rolled out throughout the year to help meet the £25,000 fundraising target and further support the charity’s awareness and early detection efforts.
