Dad, 44, with prostate cancer smashes fundraising target as he bids to make men aware of symptoms

A North Lincolnshire man who made it his mission to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer has raised just under £4,500 following a sponsored walk across the Humber Bridge.

Dad-of-two Dave Hunt, 44, from Wrawby, was left in “complete disbelief” when he was diagnosed with the disease in September, after experiencing symptoms including being desperate to go to the toilet and a weak urine flow.

One thing which surprised Dave was how little his family members knew of the disease, despite the fact that his uncle died from prostate cancer several years ago. Men with a close family member who has had prostate cancer are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with it.

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Speaking to Scunthorpe Live at the time, Dave said: “When I was told I was in complete disbelief. It was a shock. But what really became apparent is that, considering my uncle died from the disease a few years ago, when I made contact with my dad and brother to tell them the news, they were upset, and said, ‘What can we do for you?’.

“I asked them if either of them had been tested and it just amazed me that, based on our family history already, neither of them knew the signs or symptoms. As a family, we’re two-and-a-half times more likely to get prostate cancer, so it just goes to show the complete lack of awareness.”

In December, Dave will undergo a radical prostatectomy – the removal of his prostate – at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull. In the weeks following his diagnosis, he said the support he has received from Prostate Cancer UK has been incredible – and that staff on the other end of the phone even helped him break the news to his two children.

In a bid to raise awareness and funds for the charity, Dave and his family took part in a sponsored walk across the Humber Bridge on Sunday, November 19. With an original target of £1,000, the challenge raised an amazing £4,400.

He said: “You feel life around you is continuing, and you’re in this limbo. Any person, man, woman, diagnosed with cancer probably feels that way, but Prostate Cancer UK have so much support.

“They gave me guidance on how to tell my kids and even said if they wanted to ring up, they can. Obviously there’s all sorts running through your mind, and you’re like, ‘How do I tell my kids that?’. My kids are my life and my world and to tell them something like that, you want their world to continue, you constantly try to shield them from anything bad, but in this case you can’t.”

Dave’s diagnosis has led several of his friends visiting their GPs to get checked. He now wants as many men as possible to know about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.

These include difficulty when urinating, a weak flow when urinating, a feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly, needing to urinate more often than usual and a sudden need to urinate. More information can be found here.

You can still donate to Dave’s fundraiser, and can do so by clicking here.