MP who has two older brothers living with prostate cancer becomes charity ambassador
[London, UK] The Rt Hon David Lammy MP has joined Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) as an ambassador, lending his voice to the charity’s mission to improve early diagnosis and treatment and tackle the stark inequalities that continue to shape prostate cancer outcomes.
David Lammy has a close connection to the cause, as two of his older brothers are living with prostate cancer. As a Black man with a family history of the disease, he is also among those at increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
His appointment comes at an important moment in PCR’s Proactive for your Prostate campaign, which calls for targeted prostate cancer screening.
Earlier this year, the Government accepted the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to introduce targeted screening for a narrowly defined group of men with a BRCA2 genetic variant and relevant family history, with around 1,500 men in England expected to be eligible.
However, there is still no targeted screening programme for other men at higher risk, including Black men, who have a 1 in 4 lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer. There was an opportunity, during a Westminster debate in October on prostate cancer screening, for the Government to provide clarity on when a targeted screening programme would be reconsidered for men at high risk. However, further confirmation is yet to be provided.
PCR and supporters of the campaign are calling for greater clarity on what comes next, including a clear timetable for when emerging evidence will translate into decisions for high-risk groups, and clearer guidance for PSA testing for men who remain outside the new screening programme.
As an ambassador, David Lammy will support PCR’s work to fund research into better diagnostic tests and more effective treatments, help advances reach patients, and tackle inequities in access to diagnosis, treatment and care.
David joins a growing group of PCR ambassadors including former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and actor and writer Sir Stephen Fry.
David Lammy MP said:
“I’m proud to be joining Prostate Cancer Research as an ambassador. This is a cause that is deeply personal to me. Both my parents died young from cancer, and my two older brothers are living with prostate cancer, so I know first-hand the impact this disease can have on families.
“As a Black man, I’m also acutely aware of the inequalities that exist. Around one in four Black men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Having a family history also puts men at increased risk. We have a duty to give all men, especially those at highest risk, the best possible chance of survival”
“We need greater clarity on when targeted screening would be reconsidered for high risk men, particularly for Black men and men with a relevant family history.
“I’m looking forward to working with Prostate Cancer Research, my fellow ambassadors and colleagues from across the political spectrum to support the charity’s vital work and help make sure fewer families lose the men they love.”
Oliver Kemp MBE, CEO of Prostate Cancer Research, said:
“David knows the impact prostate cancer can have on a family, and we’re grateful to him for lending his voice and commitment to this cause. His support will help us champion earlier diagnosis, fund research into better treatments and challenge the inequalities that mean some men face worse outcomes than others.
“We want more men to live longer and live well, wherever they live and whatever their background, and fewer families to lose the men they love. We’re proud to welcome David as a PCR ambassador and look forward to working with him to turn that ambition into progress.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) is a UK charity working to transform what a prostate cancer diagnosis means for men and their families. We want to stop men dying from prostate cancer and help them live longer and live well, with less impact from the disease and its treatment.
We fund pioneering research into better tests and treatments and tackle the barriers preventing advances from reaching patients. Through our translational research arm, Proven Connect, we help promising innovations reach patients sooner. The infopool provides accessible information to those affected by prostate cancer, to support decisions about treatment and care. Prostate Progress brings together patients’ experiences and NHS health data, with participants’ consent, to support research into better care and outcomes.
Across our work, we champion patients’ voices, campaign for earlier diagnosis and tackle inequities in diagnosis, treatment and care. Our goal is to make discoveries matter: earlier diagnosis, better treatments, improved quality of life and fewer families losing the men they love.
For more information, visit www.pcr.org.uk. To learn about PCR’s screening campaign, visit proactiveforyourprostate.co.uk.
On 26 October 2026, MPs debated the petition “Introduce a screening programme for prostate cancer, starting with high-risk men” in Westminster Hall .The petition received 101,932 signatures.
Multiple MPs during the debate called for greater clarity on timings for when the UK National Screening Committee would reconsider targeted screening for high risk men, and for clarity on the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP) for men not captured within the new screening programme introduced earlier this year to men with a BRCA2 genetic variant and relevant family history.
The petition and government response are available at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/751472