University of Exeter student and rugby union star signs up as charity ambassador to educate young men about the dangers of testicular cancer
A professional rugby union player who is studying at the University of Exeter will be taking on another role in education after signing up to support a testicular cancer charity. Kitan Ojo, who is in the senior academy squad at Harlequins, has secured the role of university ambassador for The OddBalls Foundation and from the autumn term will be helping the organisation to encourage men to check themselves for signs of the disease, the most prominent form in males aged 15-49.
Kitan Ojo, 19, is from Weybridge in Surrey and is studying for a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Exeter. Kitan is also a professional rugby union player for Harlequins. He has got involved in various other aspects of university life and was recruited by The OddBalls Foundation during a recent visit to Exeter by one of the charity’s other ambassadors.
The OddBalls Foundation was founded in 2015 and is closely associated with colourful underwear brand OddBalls. Someone is diagnosed with testicular cancer every hour in the UK, but if detected early, it is curable in over 90% of cases. The foundation’s university ambassadors visit schools, universities and workplaces, delivering talks on testicular cancer, and reminding boys and men to check their testicles, removing any stigma and embarrassment about that and the disease. The ambassadors also place The OddBalls Foundation’s Check Yourself Guides in public spaces and workplaces.
Kitan comments: “I decided to get involved with The OddBalls Foundation as I wanted to have a positive influence on my university as well as the surrounding Exeter community. Being a rugby player, I have always been aware of OddBalls as a brand, and once I had looked into the charity's initiative in raising awareness of testicular cancer, I felt like it was a great opportunity to help spread the message to my peers.”
In his role as a university ambassador for The OddBalls Foundation, Kitan is keen to have an open dialogue with men who want to learn more about testicular cancer and how to check for signs of the disease. He welcomes contact from anyone who wants to talk and can be reached by sending an email for his attention to Hello@TheOddBallsFoundation.com.
To find out more about The OddBalls Foundation and its work visit https://theoddballsfoundation.com and www.facebook.com/TheOddBallsFoundation, or follow @oddballsfdn on Instagram and Twitter.
