Former player, captain, coach and ARGG, Davey Hazleton is a Charlton Park legend. He was inducted into the ‘Best of the Best All Time XV’ by his contemporaries during the Covid lockdown and was a warrior on the pitch. Every Saturday he’d go into ‘battle’ with his team mates and more often than not, came out on top. These days Davey’s battles are off the pitch and he is currently undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

His daughter, Jess, recently posted on her Facebook page that she’s taking to the skies and will be undertaking a personal challenge by jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet (I looked that up) to raise money for PROSTATE CANCER UK.

This is what she had to say …

‘As most of you are aware, my amazing, strong, and determined dad has been bravely fighting prostate cancer. It has been a challenging journey for him, but he continues to inspire us with his strong spirit.

On the 29th June 2024, I will be embarking on a personal challenge that symbolises the strength and determination my dad has shown throughout his battle. I will be taking part in a Sky Dive to raise funds for PROSTATE CANCER UK, a charity that is very close to my heart.

Prostate Cancer UK is an organization dedicated to supporting those affected by prostate cancer and funding vital research to find better treatments and ultimately a cure.

I am reaching out to you today with an ask - please consider supporting me in this crazy but amazing activity by making a donation towards my target amount of £400. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a difference in the lives of those affected by prostate cancer.

Thank you to everyone for your support, and generosity ❤️x

https://www.justgiving.com/page/jess-hazelton-1709059485274?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fjess-hazelton-1709059485274&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share’

Everyone at Charlton Park wishes Davey all the best. Stay strong, mate. And we wish Jess - rather you than me - all the best with the sky dive. Let’s all stick our hands in our pockets and support Jess’s fund raising attempt. It’s a worthy cause. Just cut and paste the link shown above into your browser and it’ll take you to the Just Giving page.

Speaking from a personal perspective, I’ve had a prostatectomy back in 2019. I had a raised PSA which was picked up through a routine blood test. I’m lucky that it was detected early because there were no symptoms. And that’s the problem!

Charlton Athletic hold an annual PSA testing day at the Valley each year. This year’s event was held last Saturday. There were 470 gentlemen tested. 430 were given the green light. But 40 were either in the amber or red zone. So, this initiative could have saved the lives of those 40.

If you a gentleman of a certain age, the message is speak to your doctor and ask about a blood test. It might save your life.