ABOUT DT38 FOUNDATION

WHO WE ARE

The DT38 Foundation has been set up in memory of Dylan James Tombides. Dylan was an Australian International and West Ham United professional football player who passed away aged 20 in April 2014 after a 3 year battle with testicular cancer. The West Ham Family thought so highly of Dylan that they retired his number 38 and made DT38 one of their principal charities.

The charity has been formed as a result of Dylan being misdiagnosed. Our vision is to change the way testicular cancer is diagnosed by implementing best practice diagnostic guidelines for patients who present with testicular symptoms.

We also aim to arm future generations of young men with the necessary knowledge about testicular cancer that will enable them to be confident when taking health matters into their own hands.

Our mission is to raise awareness and change the stigma associated with men’s health issues with a focus on testicular cancer. We aim to do this through providing educational programs and opportunities for the youth of our community, to help shape a generation of children who are self- aware about their health and wellbeing.

Our main goals are to:

Drive the SELF-AWARENESS campaign for the early detection of testicular cancer
Focus on youth EDUCATION through various teaching programmes aligned to national curriculum
Provide OPPORTUNITIES linked to fun and accessible activities within the community

Testicular Cancer – The Facts

Testicular cancer affects younger men aged 15-49
It is the most common cancer in young men in the UK
It is the second most common cancer in young men in Australia
There were 2207 cases diagnosed in the UK in 2011 and 63 deaths
There were 732 cases diagnosed in Australia in 2011 and 25 deaths
The rate of men diagnosed with testicular cancer has grown 50% in the past 30 years and the reason is unknown
The survival rate is 98%

National testicular cancer screening test programmes do not exist in the UK or Australia and we believe this has to change. Awareness saves lives.

OUR HISTORY

The charity is based in both the United Kingdom and Australia. The charity was launched on the 28th February 2015 in the United Kingdom when West Ham United came up against Crystal Palace at Upton Park. At the 38th minute mark the spectators from both sides stood and clapped as a mark of respect. The charity officially launched in Australia on September 1st 2015 when Premier Colin Barnett and the Tombides family unveiled a bronze statue of Dylan outside NIB Stadium- Perth’s home of football. Both events were extremely momentous occasions and highlight the high regard in which Dylan was held both as a footballer and a person.

The charity has come about as a direct response too Dylan’s personal story and the current status of testicular cancer awareness in society. Testicular cancer affects younger men aged 15- 49. It is the second most common cancer in young men in Australia. There was 732 cases diagnosed in Australia in 2011 and 25 deaths. The rate of men diagnosed with testicular cancer has grown 50% in the past 30 years and the reason is unknown. The survival rate is 98%. There is currently no routine screening tests in place for testicular cancer. We at the DT38 Foundation believe that awareness is the key to addressing this illness. We know that our vision and mission clearly state the changes we plan to bring about in the future.

At the moment we have a small team of 4 directors and many volunteers in Perth, Western Australia. The foundation is growing at a rapid pace and so is the number of people becoming involved with DT38. We have found the need to have the Australian Company (DT38 Australia Pty Ltd) registered as a charity and the direction we are heading is very clear to us. We are now at the stage where we require funding to assist us in beginning various projects.

We at DT38 recognise the potential impact we can have on a large scale and are proud to be part of an organization like ours. We believe that we have the correct structures and procedures in place to assist us in developing our key milestones and we look forward to continuing to spread the DT38 message with the world.

To read about our latest developments head to our news page

THE DT38 VISION

Our vision is to change the way testicular cancer is diagnosed by implementing best practice diagnostic guidelines for patients who present with testicular symptoms. We also aim to arm future generations of young men with the necessary knowledge about testicular cancer that will enable them to be confident when taking health matters into their own hands.

THE DT38 MISSION

Our mission is to raise awareness and change the stigma associated with men’s health issues with a focus on testicular cancer. We aim to do this through providing educational programmes and opportunities for the youth of our community, to help shape a generation of children who are self- aware about their health and wellbeing.