There are five urological cancers: prostate, bladder, kidney, testicular and cancer of the penis. They mainly affect men, although women can suffer from kidney and bladder cancers. Urological cancers are more common than many people realise, and account for 1 in 3 of all cancers in men and 1 in 5 of all cancers in men and women.

UCAN needs your support to achieve our aims.

UCAN has been set up as a charity dedicated to raising awareness of urological cancers, and improving support and quality of life for people and families who are affected.

It will do this by creating a centre of excellence in the north of Scotland to spearhead a vigorous programme encompassing all the following:

• health promotion work and awareness raising of urological cancers in businesses and communities throughout the north of Scotland, with the aim of encouraging earlier diagnosis in the future, resulting in more positive prognoses for more people

• improve information for everyone on awareness and prevention, benefit of early diagnosis, deciding about treatment and coping with the unwanted effects of treatment

• evaluate new technologies for diagnosis and treatment

• study the best ways to treat patients with urological cancers, and to manage the unwanted effects of treatment

• assess the effectiveness of different treatments and use this to help patients make decisions about their own care

• give patients information and skills to help them be actively involved in decisions about their own treatment and care

• work with patients, their families and the wider public to better understand the problems experienced by patients as they go through their ‘journey of care’

• create a support network for newly-diagnosed patients and their families.