About Blue September

Blue September is a nationwide awareness and fundraising initiative about all the cancers that affect men – not just prostate and testicular cancer, but also bowel, lung, liver and other cancers. The campaign aims to raise funds for the Australian Research Foundation and Bowel Cancer Australia charities to raise men's awareness of cancer and help them to reduce the risk of developing and dying from cancer by making better lifestyle choices and seeking help sooner rather than later.

Can we really prevent cancer?

At least one in three cancer cases is preventable. Thousands of men's lives could be saved by making healthy lifestyle decisions such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, taking care in the sun, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet.

Lives can also be saved if more men know more about the symptoms of cancer and contact a health professional as soon as they notice something worrying such as a lump or a nagging cough.

So let’s face up to cancer in men this September! Show your support by painting your face blue and raise awareness and funds to save lives!

Blue September is about men facing up to cancer

Each year, more than 22,000 (AIHW) Australian men die of cancer. Common types of cancers causing death in men are lung, prostate, bowel, melanoma and testicular.

In many cases, male cancer deaths can be prevented through healthy lifestyle decisions and early detection.

Blue September is a campaign created to get the message out about cancer in men. It aims to raise awareness among all Australians about cancers affecting men and urges men to take preventative action by improving lifestyle choices. It is also about encouraging people to make a donation for cancer research, to help find a cure for the disease that affects so many Australian men.

Australian Cancer Research Foundation

The Australian Cancer Research Foundation (www.acrf.com.au) is dedicated to helping find a cure for cancer through the continued support of world-class research in Australia.

Each year grants between $1.5million and $10million are awarded to leading researchers who aim to prevent, diagnose, treat and defeat all types of cancer.

Our mission is to fund breakthrough research projects aimed at eliminating the devastating effects of cancer, working closely together with the research community & our supporters to achieve the dream of finding a cure for the one in three of us who will be touched by cancer.

The Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) has provided 38 grants totalling $62 million to Australian cancer research institutes since 1987 with over $46 million awarded in the last five years.

Bowel Cancer Australia

Bowel Cancer Australia is a national charity which has been working for 10 years to reduce the impact of bowel cancer in our society through awareness, education, support and research.

We aim to help save lives from this common cancer, Australia’s second biggest cancer killer.

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, affects 1 in 10 men, young and old. It claims the lives of almost 2,500 men each year. If caught in time however, 90% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated.

Learn more at www.bowelcanceraustralia.org

How it all began

Blue September was a concept developed in New Zealand in 2008. In its second year the campaign was expanded into Australia, primarily as an awareness initiative. Now in 2011, Blue September is a well recognised national awareness and fundraising initiative, proudly supporting the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and Bowel Cancer Australia, to help get the message out about cancer in men.

We thank all of our partners for their support of Blue September, encouraging men to face up to cancer.

Take Action!

There are some important ways you can reduce your risk of cancer: 

• Quit smoking or help a mate quit
• Take care in the sun
• Aim for a healthy body weight
• Be physically active
• Reduce your alcohol intake
• Get age-appropriate check-ups