My Journey with Prostate Cancer

Invited to join Senior Committee at Woburn Golf Club in 2021. In October 2024 I became Senior Captain for one year. It is traditional to choose a charity for the year of fund raising and awareness. In the months building up to the captaincy I made a list of possible charities including local hospices and other national charities. We have nearly 500 over 60-year-old male members at Woburn. Prostate Cancer UK fitted perfectly with my idea of general wellbeing and mental health of the section.

I had been meaning to get my prostate checked for a long time. Getting up 3 or 4 times in the night was the norm. Then I heard Simon Jordan sharing his experience on Prostate issues during the White and Jordan show on Talk Sport on 8^th August. How a simple PSA test prompted by a mate saved his life. 3 days after I listened to his story I had the PSA blood test. After all, if it was to be my chosen charity then I ought to set my own house in order. Good decision – test came back with a red flag and the test was repeated a few weeks later to verify results. That set in motion a busy couple of months all taken care of by the brilliant NHS. MRI scans, biopsy (not much fun!) and meetings with surgeon and Oncology to get briefed on options. Being a fairly fit 71-year-old, it was recommended that I have a Robotic Prostatectomy to be carried out by the world class team at Churchill Hospital in Oxford.  

12 days after meetings I was in surgery. It was just one night in hospital and was allowed home. Recovery has been steady, back golfing and running within 6-8 weeks. 

My experience has opened conversations with a huge number of people who have been motivated into action. Click on the CHECK MY RISK link to visit the prostate Cancer UK website to check your risk in less than 30 seconds.