Student, 22, selected as Northampton’s first ever OddBalls Foundation ambassador

A University of Northampton student will be combining his studies with another role in education after signing up to support a testicular cancer charity.

Elliot Deeks from the county 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 between 15 and 49.

The 22-year-old who is studying for an MSc in Physiotherapy is the first ever ambassador for the charity in Northampton.

The sports enthusiast who plays cricket, hockey and golf, Elliot was recruited by The OddBalls Foundation during a recent visit to Northampton by one of the charity’s ambassadors from elsewhere.

Elliot said: “I want to help raise awareness of testicular cancer and men’s health in general, with the aim of starting as many conversations as possible.

“Being the first Northampton ambassador, I want to establish the role at the university and help pave the way for those in the future who take on the position.”

In his role as a university ambassador for The OddBalls Foundation, Elliot 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 [email protected].

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 percent 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.