Back in 2004 when I worked for SITA in the UK I was fundraising for the Prostate Cancer Charity. Breast cancer in ladies gets a lot of coverage with Think Pink in October, but , back then , few people had heard of MOvember when men grew their moustaches long to highlight the dangers of Prostate Cancer in Men.
The man who asked me to help him fund raise was called John Fraser ( sadly he died a few years later). His wife, Ann, who was my boss in our Little Chef days kept on at John to have a PSA test as he was over 50. He said there was nothing wrong with him but eventually she persuaded him to have the test and it indicated he had Prostate Cancer. As it was caught early he was treated and died of something different. However he decided to spend his time raising awareness of the disease and raising money for the Prostate Cancer Charity. I was involved in many of the activities with John from polishing shoes ( most men who wear nice shoes are over 50 so while you polish their shoes you can ask if they have had a PSA test) and doing charity walks.
John's 6th walk on the Isle of Wight in 2014- for Prostate Cancer
Many women walk in October with their bra's outside their clothes , or wearing pink, to draw awareness to Breast Cancer. So John came up with his "Pants on the Outside" walk on the Isle of White , where they retired. I also teamed up with fellow Trainer, Gordon Kermode, to record a charity CD - called " A pair of Trainers" to raise funds for the Charity.
Gordon and I in the studio recording our Charity CD in 2004
I am sure Mr Gregory will excuse me if I quote from the web on this important topic:
"Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test
A blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. The PSA level may also be elevated in other conditions that affect the prostate.
As a rule, the higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present. But many factors, such as age and race, can affect PSA levels. Some prostate glands make more PSA than others."
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/screening.htm#:~:text=A%20blood%20test%20called%20a,conditions%20that%20affect%20the%20prostate. ( accessed 3.1.23)
In Bahrain, where I worked for 11 years before retiring to the Philippines, we had a Wellbeing Programme and each November we focused on Men's Health. I was asked to talk about John and PSA tests at the 2015 event.
As employees we had a PSA test as part of our medical and I am pleased to say mine was normal. I was also pleased to see , when researching this blog , that Awali Hospital still have a day looking at Men's health every November- this was their 2022 poster:
The Oil and Gas Industry is male dominated, many employees were over 50 and yet few had the test. They were worried about things being put up their prostate!
You may be wondering why I am writing a blog on the importance of PSAS tests now at the start of January 2023. Well first it is the time when people make new year resolutions, so I am asking all men of over 50 to make it their resolution to get a test.
I am prompted to do this after an email I had just before Christmas from another boss from my Little Chef days who wrote:
"So again I was surprised that the doctor called me the following Tuesday to inform me that my PSA was evaluated and with the possibility of prostate we would now enter what they call ‘the two week waiting period’.
The Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath contacted
me the next day to inform me they were taking over the x ray appointment &
arranged that post quick. I also had a telephone consultation with an Oncology
consultant scheduled.
The telephone consultation was very good & the
Doctor was first class, she wanted to know how much I knew about how we had got
to this point & my life style, health, family life etc & what had my GP
explained so far.
She then explained the information that the PSA
test reveals, (for those not in the know) a level of up to 6 no cause for alarm at present, between 10 –
20 cause for concern, above 100 real cause for concern. With my score of 2,000
~ OMG!!
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This Guide is on the Prostate Cancer UK website ( see link below)
So add the X ray results (which she had when she
spoke with me) showing shadows on the lungs, & my dramatic unplanned weight
loss during July & August (over 21lbs), & my back aches, pain in/around
my right hip, all indicate the likelihood of advanced prostate. Unfortunately
not curable ~ but treatable & manageable. But just to confirm this
diagnosis further tests were necessary. However she immediately arranged me to
receive a hormone tablet treatment plus a hormone injection to control the
cancer cells. These when taken for a couple of days really did the trick &
I felt immeasurably better.
She also arranged for appointments to be initiated
for the additional tests to be completed as an outpatient. So during October I
have become a regular visitor to the RUH Bath, for tests & meetings. A
prostate biopsy, a bone scan, & a CT scan. With the combined results
confirming the anticipated diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer, having spread
to bones & lungs.
Also on their website ( see link below)
Cells were subdued by the hormone tablets (taken only
for 14 days) & hormone injection (which is now a 3 monthly experience ~
probably for ever). No negative side effects, in fact Caroline says the opposite,
my appetite has returned, I appear to have more energy & get up & go.
So now I march onwards to the treatment ~ I need
to make a decision over next couple of weeks. Initially it’s between chemo
treatment at the RUH (6 visits with a three week gap between visits) or a daily
tablet (for the rest of my life). There are positives & negatives between
each treatments ~ so I need to read up on the materials that the RUH have
provided, and to come to a starting decision. Caroline is adamant that the
decision is mine alone, and everyone will support whatever that is.
The Prostate cancer charity T Shirt, featuring Stickman
I have to say all the medical professionals I have
come into contact have been first class, that includes my local GP surgery, the
receptionists at all the RUH departments I’ve been to, all the medical
technicians, nurses, specialist nurses, doctors & consultants, not
forgetting my local pharmacist. Everyone one them has been/is very
professional, supportive & caring.
The RUH’s role in this is to ensure my quality of life is as good as it
can be. And with the advances in medical treatments & knowledge, the
prognosis is very positive.
It is very worrying that most males (particularly as they get older) have
some form of prostate cancer, BUT only 1 in 8 (currently) will suffer from it, the other 7 in 8 can live normally without any effects. The only negative I have about it, is it came from nowhere for me personally. No symptoms at all, that I would have recognised, eg blood in wee, blood in semen. And opposite to say breast cancer, where ladies can feel lumps, it is very difficult to do the digital rectum test yourself (practically acrobatically impossible a mate of mine expressed!).And there’s every likelihood that I may well have had it for a long time, the chances of it suddenly taking affect ~ rare (not impossible ~ but rare).
So men take notice ~ if you are over 50, and if
you are closer to my age & not had a PSA~ go & see your GP &
request a PSA blood test. The sooner it is identified, the better the chance to
cure it.
Ladies nag the men in your lives to do the same.
We know men don’t like to bother about things like this (like me!) ~ but nag
them ~ it is serious, & maybe curable."
He asked if I could help spread the word, so here we go...
TBK tells all our readers:
Men be a P R A T ~ Please ~ Request A Test
ProStAte
If you are female , do you know a man over 50 ( dad, uncle, grandad, Boyfriend etc)? If so has he had his PSA Test. Nag him till he does because like John and Mark above he may have Prostate cancer but not be aware of it. By having the test and identifying high levels of PSA, then action can be taken
If you would like to find out more visit the excellent website of the Prostate Cancer Charity in the UK:
Thanks for reading and thanks to Mark for sharing his story and letting me publish it.
I hope 2023 brings you better news.
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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