Prostate Cancer UK is calling for sanitary bins to be put in men's public toilets. The charity believes that men who are incontinent after treatment should feel more at ease using sanitary pads.

Athlete and a former semi-pro footballer, Joe Appiah, from Kent, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021, appeared on today's (March 5) episode of Good Morning Britain on ITV to discuss the challenges of male incontinence. He said having bins would have helped him feel more confident about going out when he dealt with incontinence after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Campaigners say there is a lack of awareness and support for male incontinence compared to women's issues. Joe advocates for initiatives like the Dispose With Dignity campaign to address this issue.

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"For me, and for many men, when they've had their treatment, there are a lot of side effects that come with it," he said. "Because most people think, oh, you've had your cancer removed, you've had treatment, that's it.

"But there are the things that come with it, with such treatment. And it's not just people with prostate. There are others out there, lots of men with other health issues who have incontinence issues."

Prostate Cancer UK says that in the UK, about one in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. It is the most common cancer in UK men.

Recalling how the diagnosis impacted him at the time, Joe shared the "embarrassment" he often felt. "Initially, after my operation, because of the incontinence, I was afraid to go out.

"One time I went out and had an accident. As a man, in his fifties, and a man who is a sportsperson, one minute I was breaking world records, the next I was weeing myself. That's so embarrassing. It hit the core of who I am as a man.

"I'm the type of person who likes to take on a challenge and resolve issues, but as most men, we tend to sit back and suffer in silence. For me, I'm lucky that my one improved, but there are lots of men out there that it may have taken years, it may be forever - some people are living with catheters for the rest of their lives. And that is really hard as a man to take."

Prostate Cancer UK says its 'Boys Need Bins' campaign has worked hard to raise awareness about male incontinence and the need for bins in male toilets. A spokesperson said: "We’ve been campaigning with a number of national organisations, as well as the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Bladder and Bowel Continence Care, to get the government to make it law to have bins in all male toilets nationally.

"Boys need Bins asks for the law to be updated, so that men are given access to sanitary bins in their toilets. It’s simply not good enough that men are told to use a disabled toilet to access a sanitary bin. Men have told us that they feel embarrassed about this and don’t consider themselves to be disabled. It’s time for men to have their own provision."

Treatments for prostate cancer often lead to temporary or, in rare cases, permanent problems with urination, like leaking (incontinence) and needing to go often or urgently. Surgery usually results in stress incontinence (leaking when you cough or laugh), while radiation can make you feel irritated, have a weak stream, or feel the need to go urgently.