Vinod Patel Home and Living has started the Movember campaign to raise awareness on prostate cancer.

General manager Sanjeev Mudaliar said the firm supported the awareness campaign because it had the potential to extend lives of sufferers.

“There are unmet medical needs in areas that have the highest potential for impacting and extending lives of men with prostate cancer,” Mr Mudaliar said.

“The idea is to raise awareness through various methods,” he said.

“It is also an opportunity to better understand the biology of the disease and answer important questions about treatment for lethal prostate cancer in Fiji.”

Vinod Patel Home and Living started their campaign on Tuesday at Centrepoint with the Fiji Cancer Society.

Group Human Resources manager Manjula Perera said: “Any kind of cancer should be treated and taken seriously.

“It’s time people start to openly talk about this killer disease which is on the rise in Fiji,” Mr Perera said.

“Since charity begins at home, we want to start from Vinod Patel.

A number of the Vinod Patel employees pledged a ‘No Shave Movember’ until the November campaign ends at the end of this month.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika