‘WeeCan’ – and we did … successful charity partnership between Perfect Hygiene and UCAN

An innovative campaign launched two years ago to help men manage urinary incontinence conditions in public and social settings has now become established across the North-east of Scotland.

Independent hygiene and clinical waste service provider Perfect Hygiene teamed up with Aberdeen-based charity UCAN to provide washroom bins where men living with urological issues can discreetly dispose of sanitary products.

Their joint ‘WeeCan’ campaign was created not only to provide men with practical help and give them new confidence to participate in public life, but also to highlight the critical importance of getting early checks for urological conditions.

More than 70 bin units have now been installed in public and private venues across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including Aberdeen Football Club’s Pittodrie Stadium, P&J Live and The Trinity Shopping Centre. The initiative has also yielded a cash boost for the urological cancer care charity UCAN, with Perfect Hygiene contributing over £650 to the good cause after committing to make a donation for each installation project.

Steve Kennedy, Managing Director of Perfect Hygiene, said: “The widespread regional roll-out is delivering on everything we wanted to achieve when the campaign was first launched.

“First and foremost, it’s breaking down barriers and giving men the means to dispose of pads, guards and related products in a discreet and hygienic way when they’re away from their home. It’s protecting their dignity and helping remove any sense of discomfort or anxiety they might feel about managing their condition in public.

“However, every installation is also a reminder to all men of just how important it is to be aware of urological health and seek early medical checks when they feel there might be an issue.

“Our sincere thanks to the many businesses and venues that have backed the campaign to date. Their practical support is improving everyday accessibility and genuinely driving change locally.”

Gayle Stephen, Office Manager at UCAN, said: “We are delighted to be a partner in the ‘WeeCan’ campaign. We are pleased to see Perfect Hygiene making things easier for men who have been through a urological cancer. Having the WeeCan units in gents’ toilets makes a huge difference to their daily lives.

“We are extremely grateful to Perfect Hygiene and to everyone who has signed up for this worthwhile scheme. All funds raised from ‘WeeCan’ will go towards our current appeal for the Swift Urological Response and Evaluation (SURE) Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

“The unit will aim to see patients with a suspected urological cancer more quickly, allowing them to have all their scans and diagnostic procedures in a single hospital visit, reducing the time to diagnosis and getting a treatment plan in place. Our message to men is simple. If you are worried, please get checked.”

The purpose-built bins are signposted in male cubicles as disposal options for men experiencing urinary incontinence because of prostate cancer treatment, other medical conditions or age. They’re no longer in the stressful position of having to carry used products home in pockets or bags, or use inappropriate disposal routes such as flushing or general waste bins.

The SURE Unit is being developed by NHS Grampian, with UCAN and fellow cancer charity Friends of ANCHOR leading the fundraising, and will be used by both men and women.

The key role UCAN plays in raising awareness of urological cancers – and improving support and quality of life for those affected – is underlined by the charity’s figures, which show that one in five men in the north of Scotland will be diagnosed with a urological cancer, but they are three times more likely to be cured if their cancer is diagnosed early.

Perfect Hygiene, based at Blackburn near Aberdeen, provides washroom servicing, sanitary and hygiene products provision, and waste collection to clients across Scotland.