Tommy Frank and Kelly Anne Bell join forces for cancer fight
Kelly Anne's husband Derek, 61, is currently battling the disease, while Tommy's dad Kevin also fought prostate cancer
Sheffield boxing champion Tommy Frank is teaming up with fitness expert Kelly Anne Bell to raise money for research into the UK's most common cancer among men – a cause close to both their hearts.
Kelly Anne's husband Derek, 61, is currently battling the disease, while Tommy's dad Kevin also fought prostate cancer before making a full recovery.
Now Kelly Anne and Tommy will be staging a fitness and wellbeing event at Tommy's gym at Frecheville Methodist Church, Churchdale Road, on Saturday, November 21.
Participants will be invited to donate to Prostate Cancer UK.
Kelly Anne, 49, who lives in Woodhouse, said husband Derek, from Swinton, Rotherham, had almost died in January after suffering kidney failure.
Medical investigations revealed prostate cancer that had spread to the bones of the Sheffield Roller Hockey Academy director.
"It has been the hardest thing ever" said Kelly Anne, who also works for Manor and Castle Development Trust as a health and wellbeing officer.
"He almost died three times, but we are strong and we keep going.
"It is good to join forces with Tommy and I hope this charity event will be the first of many."
Tommy, a former British flyweight champion who retired from the ring three years ago, said Derek's health problems had resonated with him and his family.
"My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 2022" he explained.
"He ended up having surgery to remove his prostate in June 2023 and thankfully went on to make a full recovery.
"He didn’t have any symptoms at all, he went to the doctor and requested a PSA blood test as a friend of his who is a few years older got diagnosed through one so my dad just thought it would be something worth checking and it turned out he had prostate cancer.
"My dad is coming up 68 and was around 64 when he was diagnosed.
"The typical age for men to go and check for prostate cancer is 50 and over, one of the biggest reasons we are doing this event is to raise funds for the charity Prostate Cancer UK but to also raise awareness.
""I can’t believe how common prostate cancer is - on average one in eight men will develop the disease, and it is one in four for black men.
"And the test isn’t what men think it is any more, it’s a blood test.
"I would urge men 50 and over to go to their doctors and request a PSA blood test even if like my dad they have no symptoms because obviously they still could have the cancer cells."
Tommy, 33, from Intake, added: "I would go as far as saying that if people find it hard to get a blood test, just say that they are having to get up numerous times in the night. It could save their life.
"As for the event itself, we are kicking it off with two kids' classes at 10.15am for five to 10-year-olds and then 11am for 11 to 16-year-olds.
"We will have a short break and then the adults class is 12:15pm."
All classes are non contact and suitable for all fitness levels.
Tommy, a former champion at Sheffield Boxing Centre, says the main aim of the classes is to "bring people together, do a little exercise and have a laugh and raise some money for an amazing charity in the process."
The afternoon will also feature a raffle, with prizes including signed boxing gloves from fighters such as Dalton Smith, Kell Brook, Ryan Rhodes and Liam Cameron.