Fuck Cancer launches new campaign “Beat Cancer Off” via VML Health – encouraging men to masturbate 21 or more times a month
Studies show that men who ejaculate 21+ times a month may reduce their risk of prostate cancer by up to 22%. Nonprofit cancer organisation Fuck Cancer, together with VML Health, has launched “Beat Cancer Off”, a bold new awareness campaign built around a striking scientific insight: men who ejaculate 21 or more times per month may reduce their risk of prostate cancer by up to 22%, according to the landmark Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) – one of the largest and longest-running studies of its kind.
The campaign consists of an original song, an animated video, the first-ever smartphone app (to track and prompt), out of home, social, and brand partnerships.
The campaign is also supported by leading prostate cancer specialist Dr. Lorelei Mucci, ScD, Professor of Epidemiology and Director of the Cancer Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and co-author of the HPFS research.
Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in men. Furthermore, Prostate cancer rates for Black men in the U.S. are two-fold higher than white and Hispanic men. Despite this, it is highly treatable when caught early. Yet conversations about prostate health remain limited, and PSA testing has declined significantly in recent years. Traditional awareness messaging has a reputation for being too clinical and scary. “Beat Cancer Off” is designed to flip this script.
To bring the message into everyday life, influencers were sent a limited edition 21 Tissues Box, with tissues numbered 1–21 and a QR code linking to the Fuck Cancer site. VML Health also negotiated a partnership with sock manufacturer Pair of Thieves to create a 21 Sock Pack, with proceeds to support Fuck Cancer’s prostate cancer awareness and prevention efforts, and a digital and social campaign to drive men to a dedicated microsite, BeatCancerOff.com.
Says Yael Cohen, Co-Founder of Fuck Cancer: “At Fuck Cancer, we look for ways to translate credible science into behaviour change. The data around ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer risk is compelling. It’s rare that science and behaviour align this clearly, so yes, we’re encouraging men to take their health into their own hands. Instead of burying that in a journal, we’re bringing it into culture. Because if men aren’t engaging with the message, the message isn’t working.”
Turning Euphemisms Into Prevention Awareness
At the heart of the campaign is an animated music film that transforms taboo language into a catchy, shareable anthem. The original song blends crooner-style musical energy with irreverent humour, weaving together global euphemisms for male masturbation – from “spank the monkey” and “choke the chicken” to “peeling the banana,” “squeeze the juice,” “one man band practice,” “mash the potatoes,” “Shiko Shiko Suru,” and “Oliare il meccanismo.”
Each euphemism is interpreted with a distinct illustration style, creating a fast-moving, global tapestry of “code words” for masturbation. The film closes with a simple reminder: ejaculating 21+ times a month may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer and directs viewers to learn more about the science and the disease.
Says Claire Gillis, CEO, VML Health: “Every euphemism in the song, every frame of the film, and every page of the microsite, is designed to do one thing: make prostate health something men can’t ignore and make it easier for them to speak up and seek help. Great health communication meets people where they really are. Humour can be a powerful tool when it’s grounded in scientific evidence.”
Grounded in Evidence, Not Just Innuendo
“Beat Cancer Off” is grounded in evidence from large, long-term studies. The landmark Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), which followed 31,925 men for 18 years, found that men who ejaculated 21 or more times per month had a 19–22% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to those reporting 4–7 ejaculations per month. A 2025 meta-analysis of 29 studies involving more than 315,000 participants further confirmed this association, showing higher ejaculation frequency was linked to a 17% reduction in prostate cancer risk overall. The protective effect appears most pronounced for low-risk, organ-confined disease.
Says Dr. Lorelei Mucci, ScD.: “The relationship between ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer risk has been observed across large, long-term studies. While frequent ejaculation is not a guarantee against prostate cancer, the evidence suggests it may be associated with a lower risk. I strongly support this campaign because it takes robust scientific findings and turns them into a conversation men can actually have. I encourage men to enjoy the campaign and then talk with their physician about their personal risk and what steps, including lifestyle choices, might make sense for them.”
Across platforms, campaign education materials explain in plain language that frequent ejaculation may:
• Help “flush out” chemicals and potential carcinogens from the prostate
• Reduce intraprostatic inflammation
• Reduce tiny crystal deposits that have been linked to prostate cancer
• Support the immune system’s ability to detect abnormal cells
• Lower stress-related signals that can encourage prostate cell growth
The campaign emphasises that ejaculation is one potential risk-reducing behaviour, not a guarantee against prostate cancer and not a replacement for medical evaluation. Its primary objective is prevention education, raising the idea that lifestyle and behaviour may play a role in prostate cancer risk and prompting men to speak with their physician and get the appropriate screening.
Men and their partners can watch the film and find more information about prostate health and risk reduction at https://beatcanceroff.com
Claire Gillis – Global CEO – VML Health
Debbi Vandeven – Global CCO – VML
Mel Routhier – Global Chief Creative Officer Health and Wellness – VML
Jason Gloye – Global Chief Client Officer and NA Lead – VML Health
Bruno Guimarães – Chief Creative Officer NA – VML Health
Natxo Días – Global Head of Craft – VML Health
Derek Sherman – Group Creative Director – VML Health
Gustavo Dorietto – Group Creative Director – Freelance
Fernando Fregate – Creative Director – VML Health
Suzie Warner – Chief Marketing and Communications Officer – VML Health
Leonardo Rincon – Creative – VML Health
Eduardo Dominguez – Creative – VML Health
Cristina Calabuig – Creative – VML Health
Gabriel Guedelha – Creative – Freelance
Arthur Daraujo – Creative – Freelance
Alex Collares – Creative – VML
Udo Nery – Creative – VML
Amy Worley – Global Chief Connections Officer – VML
Jennifer Kohl – Chief Connections Officer – VML
Chrissie Mealy – Managing Director Media – VML
Stephanie Peplinski – Public Relations Director – VML
Kelli Taylor – Public Relations Director – VML
Dr. Morgan Alexandra Fallor – Medical Director – Freelance
CLIENT
Yael Cohen – Co-Founder – Fuck Cancer
Heather Kun – CEO – Fuck Cancer
Hanna Christianson – VP of Programs & Operations – Fuck Cancer
David Ehrenberg – Founder – Pair of Thieves
PRODUCTION COMPANIES
DIRTY WORK
Director: Gustavo Leal, Faga Melo
Executive producer: Ito Andery / Juliana Aterje
DOP: Kiko Mazzoni
Production Manager: Rafaela Bitencourt
Line Producer: Marcela Tang
Storyboard: Gustavo Leal, Bernardo França
Animatic: Faga Melo, Jefferson Lima
Art Directors: Gustavo Leal, Felms
Illustration: Felms, Antonio Luvs, Bernardo França, Estela Carregalo, Fernando Molina, Lufe, Luiz Fernando Bellini, Marcos Goularte, Paula Fernandes, Gustavo Leal
CG Supervisor: Rodolpho Roth
CG Assistant: Gisele Scheibler
Modelling/Textures: Juliano Araújo, Léo Rezende, Pedro Peluso
Rigging: Henrique Melo
Lookdev: João Costa
Animation Director: Caique Moretto
3D Animation: Larissa Marques, Vinicius Pimenta
2D traditional animation: Bruno Leal, Genoviz Pagani, Jefferson Lima, Robson Menezes
Clean and color 2D traditional animation: Daiane Mateus, Ana Carolina Gonçalves, Rosinaldo Lages
2D animation (cut-out): Augusto Galvão, Barbara Souza, Caique Moretto, Gerson Germano
2D Compositing: Barbara Souza, Caique Moretto, Gerson Germano
Color Grading House: Eclipse Color
Colorist: Vini Azevedo
VFX Compositing Live Action: Felipe Ruiz, Tiago Souza, Edu Rios, Felipe Nascimento
JAMUTE
Music and Sound Production Company: Jamute
Music Direction: James Feeler
Music Production: James Feeler and Charly Coombes
Executive Producer: Gabriela Alberti
Sound Engineer: Otavio Bertolo, Fernanda Galetti and Marcelo Filho
Production Coordinator: Ana Cordeiro, Julianna Zuppo, Dee Olivério, João Piccoli e Juliana Costa
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