Dave's Journey with Prostate Cancer: "as men do, I thought 'I'm fine'"

Dave is running the Middlesborough 10K to raise awareness of prostate cancer after his own battle with the disease.

His journey began with regular late-night trips to the loo. Although his wife advised him to get it checked out, Dave ignored it, insisting that he was "fine".

But what changed his mind was an advertisement, in which a man's future granddaughter was telling him to go for a check-up, otherwise they might never meet. Dave then went for a PSA blood test, which came back slightly above the threshold, and he was advised by his doctor to get a biopsy done.

Dave was later diagnosed on Friday 13th in September of 2024. Opting to have a prostatectomy in December of the same year, he was left uncomfortable and with a diminished appetite, though it thankfully returned in time for Christmas dinner. 

For the first year after his operation, Dave will continue to have 3 monthly PSA blood tests and, at present, his PSA levels are far below the further action threshold.

Dave is running the Middlesborough 10k in August to show his thanks and appreciation for Prostate Cancer UK, as he credits his early diagnosis and treatment to their advert as, without it, along with his wife's insistence, he would likely not have gone for the blood test.

"The NHS has been absolutely fantastic, and the support from my family, friends, and work colleagues has been brilliant. I feel so lucky and thankful to be in this position."