My story is I guess no different to so many other men, but none the less it’s a real one.

Having had absolutely no related symptoms, I received a prostate and PSA check from my doctor on the 9^th September 2021.  The twelve months which followed, I would never have imagined.  To my great surprise after a succession of tests, I learned that I had prostate cancer.  My father once told me when I was young, “Ian it’s not always what you know, it’s who you know.”  Never was my father more correct.  I consider myself extremely lucky to have benefited from some great support from family and friends, some of whom are with me on this event.  Also and crucially from those in the NHS and in particular from Prostate Cymru.  I’m one of the lucky ones. In getting diagnosed with “Early Prostate Cancer,” I have subsequently had my prostate removed.  This was done by radical prostatectomy, to the layman, robot assisted keyhole surgery.  Both the equipment and the training of the surgeons for this is afforded through the endeavours of Prostate Cymru, so my thanks to the charity are oh so clear.

Whilst all of this was going on, I was preparing to become the Captain of Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club in its Centenary year.  Having been at the club for almost fifty years, this is something I’m extremely proud of.  As Captain, I needed a Captains Charity for the year, well that was the easiest decision I will have to make in twelve months.  Focusing on the charity, raising money and more importantly, awareness to the illness has given me a purpose, which I know helped through the darker moments of the last twelve months.  Having become captain on the 7^th April and then undergoing surgery on the 14^th April, wasn’t ideal, but that was the hand I was dealt.  I’m proud to say that I am now in remission and therefore, now is the time to focus wholeheartedly on the charity and give back something to what I owe so much.

Wanting to do something personally, I hatched the plan for the Cross Country Golf Half Marathon with my great friend Peter Evans, the Club Professional at Royal Porthcawl.  Eight of us, four from both clubs, will start play at 9am on the 9^th of September on the first hole at P&K.  That will be twelve months to the hour, from when I had the initial meeting with my doctor, so no better way to round off the twelve months. 

We will play twelve holes at P&K, then play cross country between the two courses (never been done before) and from our 13^th tee, play to the 4^th green at Royal Porthcawl.  We will then continue around The Royal, to the eighteenth hole.  Then we will play the first three holes, before going back across country from the 4^th tee to the 13^th green at P&K.  We will then play the final five holes, before finishing in the club at about 5:30pm, we think.

Our team will be:

Peter Evans, Nick Jones, Mike Hnyda, Rhys Davies from The Royal. 

Gareth Wilcox, Matthew Peet, Gary Munro and myself from P&K.

Each of us has a reason for being involved and we hope everyone can get behind us, to help raise as much money and awareness as we can for Prostate Cymru….THANK YOU!