A diagnosis shouldn’t come down to luck
Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men in the UK. That’s thousands of dads, brothers, mates, grandads, sons, partners and uncles. It’s the most common cancer in men.
Meet Tony:
A lucky conversation with a friend is the reason Tony and his dad, Ron, are both here today. But it shouldn’t be down to luck.
“I was out with my friend Rob and, out of the blue, he told me he had prostate cancer. He said I should go and get checked. I was fit and well, I was even a rugby referee, and I had no symptoms, so I didn’t really think much of it. But I took him seriously and spoke to my GP.
My GP told me my PSA was high and I was referred for a biopsy. Turns out, I had prostate cancer. He talked me through my options and ultimately, I went for the operation to remove my prostate. That was 11 years ago. I’m 70 now, I’m back to being fit and it’s all because of a lucky conversation with my friend. “
Most men with early prostate cancer don’t have symptoms and because there is still no screening programme for men to get checked, it is important for men to understand their own risk of prostate cancer.
You’re at higher risk of prostate cancer if:
- You’re over 50 years old
- You have a family history of prostate cancer
- You’re a black man
Prostate cancer isn’t always life-threatening. But when it is, the earlier you catch it the more likely it is to be cured so raising awareness is a huge part of Prostate Cancer UK’s mission.
“After I was diagnosed, I was determined to tell everyone. I told friends, and relatives, and I told my dad. He was 84 at the time. He went to the doctor, and they told him he had a high PSA too. He ended up having radiotherapy, and thankfully it went well. In fact, we just celebrated his 96th birthday together. “
“I feel we’ve both been so lucky. A chance conversation
with a friend led me to get my prostate
checked and that led to me getting my dad diagnosed too.
My experience has made me obsessed that we must catch
the disease early to save more lives. A
screening programme would be brilliant, it’d have made people like me, my dad
and my group of
friends aware of this disease much earlier.”
When you run for Prostate Cancer UK in the Cardiff Half Marathon, you’ll help to raise awareness so more men like Tony are aware of their risk. The money you raise will help to fund lifesaving research into better prostate cancer tests and treatments and bring us one step closer to a make a screening programme a reality. Join Prostate Cancer UK’s team in the Cardiff Half this October.
