30/12/2023
New Year Resolutions.
I’ve been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (and I’m only 53!)
There, it’s said BUT there’s a few things you need to know now.
1. There is NO national screening for prostate cancer, none! It’s the second biggest cancer killer in men and third killer overall, even “beating” breast cancer!
2. I’m not posting this for sympathy nor for attention, I want and expect neither! Also, I’m not planning on dying anytime soon.
3. It’s been caught early and is small, thankfully prostate cancer is usually slow growing and at my stage there’s a range of treatments. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not naive, I’m not in denial, there IS some anxiety but it could have been so much worse. I need to tackle it, not ignore it.
4. If you are thinking of a New Year Resolution make it this, if you are over 50 ask your GP for the simple blood test to check your risk unless you are black. No it’s not racist because if you are black you are even more at risk so you need to ask for the blood test at 40!!
5. If you are a woman and think none of this applies to you, look at the men in your life and tell them. I’ve had to tell my son (24), my 3 brothers (46 to 52) and my 4 nephews (the youngest is only 1) because my having prostate cancer now raises their risk too. Obviously my other members of my family also know, it wasn’t easy telling them I have to admit.
6. If you are trans, good on you, no judgement, BUT if you have a prostate, get it checked! Cancer doesn’t care!
7. There is NO national screening for prostate cancer, none! It’s up to you to get checked, I only did it as I saw someone talking about it on BBC breakfast a few months ago! By the time you have symptoms the cancer can be quite advanced!
8. Visit https://prostatecanceruk.org/ to check your risk and for more information!
We want to stop prostate cancer being a killer. We fund groundbreaking research, drive improvements in treatment, and fight injustice in care.
