Red fishnet stockings, polka-dot suspenders, rainbow wigs and trucker caps — these were some of the accessories to the red “budgie smugglers” worn by over 650 men who ran along Johannesburg’s streets on Friday to raise awareness for cancer.
“Men are way behind women when it comes to doing self-exams of their sexy bits,” said Carl Nolte, spokesperson for founding sponsors and organisers of the event, Etana Insurance.
The four-kilometre daredevil run began at Etana House in Parktown and headed to the Johannesburg Zoo before the sweaty men of varying sizes, shapes, and body-hair density returned to the companys’ offices.
The event was launched last year and aimed at raising awareness and funds for testicular and prostate cancer, in a memorable and entertaining way intended to motivate men to check themselves out regularly.
“The most vulnerable age for testicular cancer is between 18 and 35… the majority of testicular cancer is discovered in men by their partners during sexual intimacy,” Nolte said.
Survivors
The event celebrated two runners and survivors of testicular cancer.
Kobus Volschenk discovered at 30 that “all was not well in the private space”, but only saw a doctor five months later.
“Being a man entails being private about certain things and proud about most things.”
His doctor diagnosed testicular cancer. He had an orchidectomy (testicle removed). A scan then showed the cancer had spread and he went for radiology treatments. When the cancer returned a year later he had chemotherapy. After five years of clear check-ups it appears his cancer may be something of the past.
Kees Snijders was 35 when he felt a small lump in his testicle.
“I thought it was probably related to some recent mountain biking activities.”
But after his wife took a look the couple decided to consult a doctor.
Three days later he had surgery to remove the testicle and a six-week preventative course of chemotherapy. His “recovery was swift”.
Balls
It takes balls to talk about your balls, but the two stories prove early detection is key to survival.
The mood at Etana House before and after the gun went off did not match the seriousness of the cause, however.
Free booze, pumping music and a triumphant atmosphere could only have provided the Dutch-courage these men needed.
“Safety in numbers”, one runner said when explaining where he got the courage to step out in public in nothing more than a banana-hammock.
Some runners like Jamie Van Schoor clearly did not have a problem with self-confidence, however.
He admitted to participating in the event because he “just loves being semi-naked” and lamented the non-fact that he couldn’t find a Speedo his size.
“They didn’t have my size Speedo, so I had to settle for a large.”
High spirits
The runners were in good spirits as they approached the final hill near the finish line, flirting with giggling journalists and pretending to stretch their muscles or perform a military drill to catch a quick breath.
Nick Levesley, the man who came up with the daring let’s-wear-Speedos-and-run-in-the-traffic idea, said the concept was born while having a drink with a friend at a pub last year.
“We wanted to do something more about cancer. A few friends placed bets on us running around in our Speedos in traffic and we thought we would donate that money to charity… But then Etana got involved and decided there needed to be a bigger impact.”
Organisers were even hoping for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records this year.
A runner from last year, who now lives in China, arranged a similar run with a hundred men in the city of Shanghai.
“This is fantastic that brave men on two continents will be running on the same day for the same cause,” said Nolte. — Sapa