He is used to bowling googlies but now Dwayne 'Sluggo' Leverock is urging men not to be caught out by balls of a different kind.

He's the face of this month's Prostate Cancer Awareness campaign as he seeks to increase the innings of his fellow countrymen.

Recently retired from international cricket, the left arm spinner is backing The Royal Gazette's campaign to save lives by encouraging men to undergo prostate tests.

From the age of 50, men should have a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test and Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) at their doctor's every year.

And for black men or men who have a family history of prostate cancer, the tests should start even earlier, at the age of 45.

The prostate may only be as small as a walnut but if men keep ducking the issue, they could find themselves at a sticky wicket, with every chance of being bowled out.

Having lost his father Russell and grandmother Joan to cancer, Mr. Leverock now wants the men of Bermuda to start taking a little bit extra care of themselves.

"Please get checked. It is very important and it could save your life," says the 37-year-old.

"I will definitely get tested once I reach 45. This is a deadly disease if it isn't treated or caught in time. The fact that some men may have no symptoms at all is very concerning. You may have it and not even know."

Mr. Leverock has friends who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, whom he met on overseas sporting fixtures with the Bermuda national cricket team.

"I have a couple of good friends who found out they had prostate cancer," he says. "They went for a check-up and found it early, and they've come through it pretty good with treatment.

"It boiled down to them not feeling right in the midsection and they decided to get it checked out, and that's when they discovered it. They were very concerned as they didn't know what to expect. A couple of them also had children and so they were worried about being with their kids in the future."

He adds: "I was concerned about them. The fact they caught it early and it was treatable was a relief. But if they had waited longer, it's a question whether they would have been able to survive."

Unfortunately, prostate cancer and testing for the disease is still a taboo subject among many men. As an international cricketing star and a policeman who transports prison inmates, Mr. Leverock is all too well aware of the difficulties of discussing the subject in male conversation.

Ask him what he thinks the reaction would be to talking about the importance of getting tested among his cricketing teammates, Police officers and prisoners, he replies "mixed".

"It depends on who you're talking to, but some of the younger guys might say, 'It wouldn't happen to me'.

"I wouldn't say men bury their heads in the sand, but I think it is kind of difficult for them to come to grips with such a disease as this," he says.

Not only does prostate cancer sometimes have a stigma associated with it of incontinence and impotence, but many men find the DRE test off-putting.

"I guess some gentlemen are a little sceptical as far as going to the doctor is concerned," says Mr. Leverock.

"I think it is also the general fear of finding out that they might have something, because that's kind of frightening if it's serious."

Scientists are currently developing new ways of testing for the cancer, but in the meantime Mr. Leverock wants to see as many men as possible attending the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre's walk-in PSA test day on Saturday, June 27.

"Come out and support a worthy cause," he says. "The statistics for black males getting this disease are very high, so this makes it even more important."

Mr. Leverock, of Pembroke, says it is also important for men to eat healthy foods and to do regular exercise, to help keep the cancer at bay.

The cricketing star still lives next door to the House of India and his favourite dish is still beef korma, but he says tries to eat healthily. "We all try to follow our different dietary requirements and sensible eating habits, but sometimes we fall off the wayside," he admits, perhaps alluding to those spicy curries.

"But it's good to know what sort of food is going to help you as far as not developing cancer and getting sick is concerned. I eat a lot of tomatoes."

Tomatoes are a source of the antioxidant lycopene. Research has shown men who eat two servings or more of tomato sauce each week may reduce their risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer by a third.

Mr. Leverock who is currently single, ladies also stresses the importance of women encouraging their men to undergo health checks of the prostate.

"Women have an important role to play," he says. "There is a difference between men and women when it comes to taking care of their bodies. Women are more conscious of taking care of themselves and so if you have a boyfriend or husband, please be supportive and encourage them to get checked. It could save his life."