John Brownless Prostate Cancer Talk at Leeds United Foundation, 2026

Key Points

• Prostate Cancer UK Ambassador and volunteer speaker John Brownless spent a day with Leeds United Foundation, delivering prostate cancer awareness sessions to community participants.
• He addressed two groups: the Veterans’ Café in the morning and the Ups and Downs Café in the afternoon, aiming to clarify misconceptions and raise awareness about the disease.
• Brownless, 63, was diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 42 and has since raised more than £200,000 for Prostate Cancer UK through golf days and other events at home and abroad.
• In March 2026, during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Leeds United invited him to Thorp Arch, where first-team player Sam Byram presented him with a signed shirt and listened to his story.
• Brownless said around eight men have been diagnosed after reacting to his story and visiting their GP, and he continues fundraising to protect his two sons and support research.
• Sam Byram described Brownless’s work as “truly inspirational” and called for more Leeds fans to back Prostate Cancer UK, highlighting the charity’s impact in football.
• Prostate cancer affects one in eight men and is the most common cancer in men in the UK, making awareness and early detection crucial, according to Leeds United and Prostate Cancer UK messaging.

Leeds (The Leeds Times) July 29, 2026 – Leeds United Foundation has hosted Prostate Cancer UK ambassador John Brownless for a dedicated awareness day, during which he delivered talks to two of the club’s community support groups as part of ongoing efforts to educate men about the UK’s most common male cancer. Brownless, a 63-year-old avid Leeds United supporter who was diagnosed at 42, has raised more than £200,000 for the charity and used his platform to encourage early detection and challenge misconceptions about the disease. His visit comes amid heightened attention to men’s health following Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in March, when Leeds United also welcomed him to the Thorp Arch training ground for a special meeting with first-team players.

What happened during John Brownless’s visit to Leeds United Foundation?

As reported by Leeds United’s official communications, Brownless spent the day with the Foundation, speaking first to the Veterans’ Café in the morning and then to the Ups and Downs Café in the afternoon. In both sessions, he presented participants with information and clarification about prostate cancer, focusing on symptoms, risk factors and the importance of seeking medical advice early.

The Foundation’s health and wellbeing team, which oversees the Ups and Downs Café as a weekly drop-in for adult supporters at Elland Road, facilitated the sessions as part of its broader community wellbeing remit.

Why is John Brownless’s story significant for men’s health in Leeds?

Brownless’s personal journey underpins his advocacy. Diagnosed at 42, he has since made it his mission to raise awareness and donations to support research and to help those undergoing or recovering from treatment.

According to coverage of his fundraising, he has supported Prostate Cancer UK for over a decade, staging numerous golf days at home and abroad alongside walking and cycling events to surpass the £200,000 mark. He told Leeds United’s media team that around eight men, at his last count, were diagnosed after reacting to his story and visiting their GP, a point he cites as evidence that persistent awareness work saves lives.

How has Leeds United supported John Brownless’s fundraising and awareness work?

In March 2026, during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Leeds United invited Brownless to Thorp Arch for a special visit intended to highlight his efforts and the broader cause.

On arrival, he was surprised by a meeting with first-team players, including Sam Byram, who presented him with a personalised, signed shirt. Byram used the opportunity to discuss Brownless’s fundraising and to pass on information about the disease, reinforcing the club’s public alignment with Prostate Cancer UK.

What did Sam Byram say about meeting John Brownless?

As quoted by Leeds United’s official site, Sam Byram said:

“It was brilliant to meet John at Thorp Arch and hear about his amazing fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK. For him to have raised so much money and awareness for such an important cause, all while dealing with a diagnosis himself, is truly inspirational.”

Byram added that learning the statistics around prostate cancer was “a real eye-opener” and expressed hope that more Leeds fans would follow Brownless’s lead and back the charity.

He also pointed to the charity’s work in football, including initiatives such as Prostate United, as having made “a real impact”, and said the club was proud to stand with Prostate Cancer UK and men like Brownless.

What are the key facts about prostate cancer that Brownless emphasises?

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men in the UK, affecting one in eight over their lifetime, according to figures cited by Leeds United and Prostate Cancer UK materials linked to the campaign.

The dedicated awareness month promotes understanding of warning signs and higher-risk groups, while stressing that early detection leads to more successful treatment and improved survival rates. Brownless’s presentations focus on these fundamentals as a starting point, aiming to demystify the condition and encourage timely GP visits.

Why does John Brownless continue fundraising year after year?

Brownless has been candid about his motivation. In remarks carried by Leeds United’s coverage, he said:

“People say quite often ‘why do you keep doing this year on year as you are banging the same drum?’ I tell them the reason I do it, is, as well as awareness I’ve got two sons and I don’t want them to have prostate cancer so if I can do anything to help find a cure before they get into the vulnerability of age where they can pick it up, then I’ve done my bit. That’s the reason I do it.”

He also described emotional moments on the golf course, telling the club:

“I’ve had grown men charge across the golf course and thank me. Many have told me they have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but that they are having treatment. They are so grateful.”

How do the Veterans’ Café and Ups and Downs Café fit into Leeds United Foundation’s work?

The Veterans’ Café and Ups and Downs Café are part of Leeds United Foundation’s community offer, providing regular, supportive environments for adult supporters.

The Ups and Downs Café, in particular, is described as an inclusive weekly drop-in at Elland Road designed to bring supporters together in a safe, welcoming setting under the oversight of the Foundation’s health and wellbeing team.

Hosting Brownless in both settings allowed the Foundation to reach distinct cohorts of fans with consistent, potentially life-saving information.

What broader charitable work is John Brownless involved in beyond Prostate Cancer UK?

Beyond his role as a Prostate Cancer UK ambassador and volunteer speaker, Brownless is co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Litmus FM, which has established The Litmus FM Foundation to channel profits to charities with personal connections to its team.

The foundation has backed Smart Works Leeds alongside Prostate Cancer UK, reflecting a dual focus on men’s health and employment support for women in the city.

Brownless’s long-standing volunteer status with Prostate Cancer UK is highlighted in the foundation’s materials, which restate that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

What does Leeds United say about the impact of this partnership?

In its public statement, Leeds United said:

“From all at Leeds United we would like to thank John for being such an inspiration. The hard work he does to raise awareness for a commonly misunderstood disease is invaluable, and so many people will be so appreciative.”

The club’s messaging aligns with Prostate Cancer UK’s emphasis on awareness, research funding and support, and positions Brownless’s day with the Foundation as a continuation of the momentum generated during March’s awareness activities.

What should men in Leeds do if they are concerned about prostate cancer?

Guidance reiterated through the campaign stresses that awareness of symptoms and risk factors is a key starting point, and that early detection improves treatment outcomes.

Men are encouraged to speak to their GP if they have concerns, particularly if they are in higher-risk groups or notice changes in urinary or general health. Brownless’s own account—of men seeking medical advice after hearing his story and subsequently receiving diagnoses—underscores the practical value of prompt action.