Mankini Boys feature in calendar to support charity

Four men who wore mankinis for a day to raise money for a charity are now featured in a calendar which also supports the charity.

Gareth, Paul, Barry and John spent an entire Sunday clad only in mankinis to support Pseudomyxoma Survivor, a charity which supports those affected by the rare cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP).

Now photographs from the event have been made into a calendar which is being sold to raise further money for the charity which was founded by their friend and PMP patient, Dawn Green.

It is the first time that the brave guys have ever done anything like this and Dawn says
"I am thrilled, honoured and extremely excited at how one memorable day has resulted in a whole year's worth of memories in our 2014 Mankini calendar"

The photographs were taken by Soul Kitty with calendar design by Fly Creative.

For more information on pseudomyxoma peritonei and to buy you calendar, please visit

To join the “PMP Fundraising” Facebook page, visit

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Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare cancer that usually starts as a small growth (adenoma) in the appendix comparable to a polyp. This adenoma will eventually break through the appendix wall and into the peritoneum (abdominal cavity lining). The tumours secrete a jelly-like mucus in the abdomen, which causes the abdomen to swell and compress other vital organs.

If left untreated, this mucin will engulf the abdominal cavity producing a characteristic "jelly belly". It is this build up of mucin that generally causes symptoms.

PMP is not like other types of cancer in that it is seldom spread through the blood stream or lymphatic system, it generally remains contained within the abdomen and spreads along inner surfaces. Presently, it is thought to affect between one and two million people worldwide per year.

PMP symptoms usually appear after some time and are caused by the build up of resulting mucus within the abdomen. Some sufferers do not show any symptoms for some years.

Symptoms are often initially misdiagnosed as a hernia or ovarian cancer and include but are not limited to:

- Changes in bowel habit
- Loss of appetite
- Pelvic pain or pain within the abdominal area
- Appendicitis
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Weight gain and or increase in waist size
- Bladder discomfort

These symptoms can be caused by a variety of medical conditions which are not necessarily PMP. However, due to the nature of this cancer it is imperative to rule out PMP as a cause. Any unexplained symptoms should always be discussed with your doctor.

Pseudomyxoma Survivor is a charity established primarily to provide emotional and practical support to those affected by the disease but also to raise awareness and to raise funding to support research.

Pseudomyxoma Survivor is completely dependent on voluntary donations. It is too small to have offices or staff; the charity is run entirely by volunteers.