It all started back in 2022 when my dad Andy went for a regular psa blood test, which he has every 2 years or so. He’s always led an active lifestyle, he was a keen footballer, runner and more recently he’s enjoyed cycling. Having run marathons for as long as we can remember and setting himself a challenge in 2012 to complete 1 marathon a month over 12 months to raise money for prostate cancer following our grandads diagnosis many years ago! No one, especially my dad had anticipated any concerns, and even though he had no symptoms the results indicated that his psa levels had increased significantly since the previous test.

After various tests and a biopsy, things were confirmed on 6th Sept 2022… Dad had prostate cancer!!

To be told that he did in fact have prostate cancer was a shock for all of us! At 62 having never previously had any serious health issues, he was of course upset. We all asked ourselves why him? What had he done wrong in life? He’s genuinely the fittest and healthiest person we know, how could this happen to him! It was emotionally challenging to see our dad upset and dealing with everything, whilst also trying to stay strong for himself and us and not let it consume him!

It was obviously hard for us all, he was the last person we ever thought would get this kind of news. It hit us hard but we just knew that dad needed our support and as well as the specialist nurses he had to talk to, he needed to know we were all here and he was able to talk to us about his situation, which was especially important in those early days. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it was to tell your four children, especially your two sons that you have cancer, let alone prostate cancer, which is currently the most common cancer in men in the UK (never words you wish to utter!!) 

With him living in Spain it wasn’t a case of being able to be there for him in person so everything was over the phone and FaceTime which was difficult. I decided to make a surprise visit to Spain in October to try and take his mind off things in the hope he would know he wasn’t on his own and didn’t feel isolated. This was the day he decided to tell everyone outside of the family about his diagnosis, the 15th October 2022 the day before the Yorkshire Marathon! I should have known he’d get a marathon in there somewhere.

Flying the flag for the Yorkshire Marathon weekend, which he decided to run virtually the day before! His first Spanish marathon, his first solo marathon and he came first!! At 4:14, it wasn’t his best time but with no water or gel stations and the fact he was doing it whilst having cancer he was still thinking of others and trying to raise awareness!

He wasn’t looking for sympathy, to be honest he’d have preferred a congratulations for the run he’d just completed which considering the injuries he’d had over the last 18 months or so had put him in a happy place! His message was simple! Boys if you’re not getting yourselves checked regularly please do, and girls please drag your fellas (screaming and shouting if needs be) to the GP.

To repeat, he had no symptoms! 

Both of my brothers Jake and Joey although they’re only 25 and 29 now know the importance of having regular PSA tests. 

All of his treatment was at St James’ University hospital in Leeds which is where he found himself on 8th December, 12 weeks after the initial diagnosis for surgery to remove the cancer. Special mention to his consultant William (Bill) Cross and his team, including specialist nurses Shona and Heather for their fantastic care and support. 

We knew the recovery would be especially tough on him, he goes running/cycling most days, but his consultant told him he had to rest for at least a week which we knew would be tough on him mentally. Macca has always defied the odds and likes to push boundaries,sure enough this time was no different and 4 days after his surgery along with his new mate (his catheter) he went for a 1 mile walk, by the end of the week he was up to 4 miles (serious telling off from his specialist nurse),he started running again 4 weeks after surgery and exactly 9 weeks after he ran a half marathon training run! 

My dad is super human and we were in total awe of him and how well he was doing in his recovery, yes he was short tempered and wasn’t the best patient (thanks to poor Gill, his wife who did a stellar effort nursing him back to health), but those things didn’t matter we just wanted him back to his old self.

It was a difficult 6/7 months made a lot easier by all the messages and phone calls of support he received, it meant so much to him and us! It was obviously a quiet Christmas last year, although team Mac did smuggle him out for a 🍺 on Christmas Day and he managed a trip to the Riverside too! UTB!

Fast forward 6 weeks to January and he finally gets the phone call we’d all been waiting for, for what felt like an eternity, confirming all the cancer had been successfully removed! He still goes for regular check ups and will do for the foreseeable but this is the best outcome he/we could have hoped for! However, not everyone is so lucky! 

There are many stigmas around prostate cancer that few people – especially men - talk about. Perhaps it is shame or just male pride. As individuals, you should understand  PSA,cholesterol,blood pressure numbers and what they mean!

Our dad has raised money for Prostate Cancer UK for many many years, never did we imagine it would be something we’d all be affected by. 

RAISING AWARENESS

Going back to the time when he was diagnosed and his message the day before the Yorkshire Marathon pleading for people to head to their GP’s for a checkup, the one message he wanted to get out there, and it's the same message we all want to spread as far and wide as possible today. For the sake of my dad, my brothers, my sons and for every man at risk of developing prostate cancer. Please do it, don’t wait, don’t put it off for another day! Do it now! Hopefully you won’t have any issues, but it’s ESSTENTIAL to catch it early.

My dad, his wife Gill, my sister and 2 brothers as well as their partners and children are all taking part in the Yorkshire Marathon weekend on 15th October 2023, some of us will be doing the full marathon, some 10 miles and for the kids (and those of us that are seriously unfit) we will be doing the York Park run the day before, we need to spread this message and raise as much money as we can for Prostate Cancer UK! 

They have a simple ambition - to stop men dying from prostate cancer. Through shifting the science over the next 10 years to focus on radical improvements in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and support, we will stop prostate cancer being a killer.

- 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime!

- It’s the most common form of cancer in men in the UK!

So to help raise funds, between us we will be running 150 miles - Please donate as much or as little as you can, for all the men in your lives we will make a difference!

Finally… a message to dad for us 4:

Dad we love you, we’re so proud of the way you handled everything that was thrown your way, you’re an inspiration and truly are the strongest person we know!