The 2013 Male Bag Ride, supported by Australia Post, is an 11 day, 4,500km journey from Perth to Melbourne on Postman bikes, culminating at the MCG this Saturday.
The Male Bag Ride is aimed at raising awareness and funds to fight prostate cancer, a disease that claims the lives of nine Australian men every day.
The 26 men who began this year’s ride on April 3 from Margaret River in Western Australia will be presented at the MCG at half-time of Saturday’s Melbourne v West Coast match.
AFL Hall of Fame member David Parkin - patron and participant of the Male Bag Ride – said the event plays a significant role in highlighting the issue of prostate cancer.
“I have learnt from personal experience, and through the experience of others, that men need to be aware of the importance of taking responsibility for their health and have regular check-ups,” Mr Parkin said.
“Together we can break down the barriers of embarrassment that men have when discussing male cancer so that diseases such as prostate cancer are caught much earlier.
“I would urge everyone to get behind this initiative and PCFA to help raise awareness and funds to fight this disease. More than 20,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in Australia this year and around 3,300 will lose their life to the disease.
“Prostate cancer might be a male-only disease, but the impact of a diagnosis is widespread, affecting not only Australian men, but their partners, families and the wider community. The PCFA is committed to working in the community to reach the ultimate goal, reducing the impact of prostate cancer on the Australian community,” Mr Parkin added.
Australia Post is principal sponsor of the Male Bag Ride and has provided ongoing support for the event.
Andrea Pearman, Australia Post General Manager Community and Partnerships, said Australia Post was proud to support the Male Bag Ride initiative.
“Australia Post employs over 33,000 Australians and this is a great opportunity to raise awareness through staff and their families and friends as well as make a contribution to funding for prostate cancer research,” said Ms Pearman.
“With thousands of posties out on the roads every day, it’s important for us to be able to share our advice with the Male Bag Ride participants to help them stay safe on the roads.”
To find out more about The Male Bag Ride and PCFA, visit www.themalebagride.org.au or www.prostate.org.au or call 03 9948 7000
