I'm running the London Marathon for Prostate Cancer UK. Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men in the UK. That's one dad, partner, brother, son, grandad, uncle or mate…

At the beginning of the year my dad had finally recieved enough nagging from mum to go to the GP about ongoing unexplained weight loss and highly elevated thirst. 

The GP proceeded to refer him for all manor of tests with the aim of identifying diabetes.

Based on the results that we’re coming back, yes, dad did have diabetes T2; they were however now also concerned about some of his other readings and sent him for further testing on a cancer investigation pathway. 

Sure enough, dad had a grade 4 prostate cancer. Our family is not new to cancer but it never makes it easier. Putting things into perspective, it made us very grateful for the diabetes! He would have never been tested if not for those symptoms.

Dad was operated on a few weeks later after testing to confirm the cancer had not spread to anywhere else. And, at the time of writing, is 4 weeks post op and recovering in his own time. Certain surgical byproducts around the operation will take time to return to normal. And we still wait to get the test to confirm if the cancer is all completely gone or if we need to go again. But it is looking like a long road in the right direction.

The way dads cancer was dealt with would have never been possible without the ongoing research and funding into research on the condition and care and it is that reason why I am doing my bit Ito raise money to help fund lifesaving research and support for men and their families affected by prostate cancer.

I hope you will hep me on this challenge in any way you can, and thank you so much in advance

James.