Hi,

I’m Andrew Gibson, a former military man and NHS paramedic. In March 2020, at the age of 54, my life changed overnight when I collapsed during a non-professional rugby match I was refereeing.

I hadn’t been ill before this, but had been experiencing ‘twinges’ for a while, which I put down to my active lifestyle. Rugby refereeing was a passion of mine for 34 years and I did it at least 3 or 4 times a week.

The next day I noticed blood in my urine and went straight to A&E. To be honest, the possibility of prostate cancer never crossed my mind. After some tests, on 17th April 2020, I received a phone call from my consultant telling me I had stage 4 prostate cancer and just two years to live. As you can imagine, my world collapsed!

It’s now 4 years since my diagnosis and I’m still here to tell the tale and to share my story in the hope other men will think about their own prostate health. The fact I’m still here is thanks to a treatment regime of chemotherapy and precision radiotherapy which I’ve been receiving since my diagnosis at GenesisCare specialist cancer centre in Bristol.

RAISING FUNDS TO HELP FIND A CURE

I’m a country boy at heart, so I’ve set myself a challenge of raising £20,000 for Prostate Cancer UK by driving a 500-mile solo round trip through the English countryside on a tractor, to raise awareness amongst the farming community – a community known to prioritise work over their own health. I’ve named this trip ‘Harvest Your Prostate Health’. All donations, no matter how big or small will go directly to PCUK to help them continue their extremely important work, so anything you can spare would be much appreciated.

My journey starts at 8am Tuesday 17th September from Badminton House on the Badminton Estate near where I live, on a tractor kindly loaned by T H White. Later that day, I’ll arrive at Hoghton Tower, near my former Ambulance Station in Chorley, Lancashire. On Wednesday 18th September, I’ll be driving the tractor on the return leg, finishing at GenesisCare in Bristol.

Lastly, if there’s one thing you take away from my story, listen to your body, understand the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer and stay vigilant. If I can help others recognise or question their own symptoms and get tested, then I’ll be delighted.

For more information about prostate cancer, what to look out for and to know more about the risk factors, click here