Giving Prostate Cancer The Finger – Alumni Stories, Iain Craigen
Hi, and thank you for pausing to read this…
My name is Iain, and along with my two lifelong and very good friends, Jamie and Matt, we graduated (from what was then known as) The University College of Ripon & York St. John, back in 1998.
Shortly after Fresher’s Week in 1995, we all volunteered and became some of the regular Student’s Union resident DJ’s. For the following three years until graduation, we co-hosted nearly all of the musical events held at the Students’ Union, and around the University. From time to time, we were also asked to guest at student nights around the city of York, at the nightclubs then known as Toffs, and The Gallery. Fast forward to 2015 and we came up with the idea of hosting a night of 90’s music to be played once again in the York St. John Students’ Union, except this time we wanted to do it in aid of the charity Prostate Cancer UK. We chose this charity for two reasons: in 2006 Jamie’s father was diagnosed with this disease, he underwent the recommended treatment, and is now recovering well. More recently in June 2014, I was diagnosed with the disease at the relatively young age of 40. I too underwent the recommended treatment, and have now started in remission. Both Jamie’s father and I received support from this charity which helped us through the really tough times.
So now here we are, March 2016, and with the full support of both the University, and the charity, we are only one month away from the night we have called “Give It the Finger”. On the 15th April 2016, 7pm – 11pm, we will be raising money and awareness in aid of the charity, and reliving former nostalgic glories at the same time. We will be mixing with vinyl and CD’s, there will no laptops or DJ software in sight!
So please spread the word, as we hope you will all join us – three blasts from the Union’s past – bringing you the eclectic sounds of the 90’s, how we used to play them back in the 90’s, and let’s give Prostate Cancer the finger!
Thank you
Iain Craigen (’98)
Iain, and Matt also made it into the local York Newspaper, the article can be found here.
