South African men are being encouraged to prioritise prostate cancer screening as the Hollard Daredevil Run expands awareness and helps support access to early detection.
The campaign is using Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September to encourage men to understand their personal risk, get screened and start conversations about a disease that can develop without noticeable symptoms.
Funds raised through the annual Hollard Daredevil Run support the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), helping the organisations provide screening, education and patient support in communities across the country.
The need for greater awareness remains significant. Research cited by the campaign found that fewer than one in four Black men diagnosed with prostate cancer in a 2023 Free State study had heard of the disease before their diagnosis.
A separate study among men in Limpopo found that almost two-thirds had inadequate awareness of prostate cancer, while more than 80% did not know about screening methods.
The campaign says one in four Black South African men and one in eight white men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Black African men also face a higher risk of developing and dying from the disease.
Andrew Oberholzer, CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa, said Black African men are also more likely to develop aggressive forms of prostate cancer, with research continuing into genetic factors that could help explain the increased risk.
Against this backdrop, early detection provides an important opportunity to improve health outcomes.
When prostate cancer is detected and treated before it has spread beyond the prostate, more than 99% of men are still alive five years after diagnosis, according to data cited by the campaign.
A prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test is a simple blood test that measures levels of a protein produced by the prostate. An elevated PSA level can indicate that further investigation and referral to a urologist may be required.
“Feeling healthy doesn’t necessarily mean that prostate cancer isn’t there, as the disease often develops without noticeable symptoms in its early stages,” Oberholzer said.
“Regular, age and risk appropriate PSA screening gives men a better chance of finding the disease early, when treatments are potentially curative and outcomes are generally far better.”
Men considered at higher risk are encouraged to undergo annual PSA screening from the age of 40, while screening for men at average risk is recommended from 45.
Risk increases with age, while family history can also play an important role. Having a father or brother who has had prostate cancer can significantly increase a man’s risk, while a family history of breast cancer is also associated with increased prostate cancer risk.
While early prostate cancer commonly produces no symptoms, advanced disease can cause difficulty urinating, blood in the urine or semen, erectile dysfunction, bone pain, weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, unexplained weight loss and persistent fatigue.
The Hollard Daredevil Run aims to turn this information into action by making men’s health conversations more visible and raising funds for organisations providing practical screening and support.
“Low awareness, limited access to screening and the life-saving potential of early detection are at the heart of the Hollard Daredevil Run,” said Hollard South Africa Head of Experiential Marketing Adél Kriel.
“Too many South African men still know too little about prostate cancer, their personal risk and the importance of getting screened. We need to keep changing that conversation.”
The 2026 Hollard Daredevil Run takes place on 23 October, with funds raised supporting CANSA and the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s work around both prostate and testicular cancer.
This year’s awareness drive is being complemented by another development aimed at strengthening South Africa’s response to prostate cancer.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation has announced that the country’s first comprehensive Prostate Cancer Registry is being developed in partnership with non-profit data analysis organisation Health Quality Assessment and various medical professional societies.
The registry is expected to strengthen the availability of information about prostate cancer in South Africa and contribute to a better understanding of the disease.
For the Daredevil Run and its beneficiary organisations, however, one of the most immediate opportunities is ensuring more men know their risk and have access to screening.
“The message we want every South African man to hear is simple: Don’t wait for symptoms,” Oberholzer said.
“Prostate cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, yet this is when the chances of successful treatment are highest. Know your risk, speak to your healthcare provider or local clinic and get screened. Early detection can save your life.”
