AN Irish dad has revealed how he was volunteering in South Africa when he first encountered symptoms of prostate cancer.
Peter Hayes was working with the Great White Shark Project when he noticed that he had trouble passing water last September.
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When he returned home, the 61-year-old developed a chest infection and went to see his GP.
He previously received the PSA blood test for the disease yearly, but had not been checked in 18 months.
Peter was told his results were “very high”.
For a man in his 60s, anything over four is considered abnormal.
He said: “He told me it was 104 and I was shocked. That’s when I started getting really concerned.”
He was given antibodies to identify if he had prostatitis — an inflammation of the prostate. A month later, Peter was told that he had prostate cancer.
He said: “It didn’t really sink in at the time when I was told I have cancer. You hear it, but you don’t hear it.”
Doctors carried out an MRI on him two days before Christmas.
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Peter said: “I started the year off, the third of January, with a biopsy. A biopsy is not nice, the process of it.
“Then I’d the 12 samples taken, eight of them had cancer. They put me down as stage three, high risk cancer.”
Peter said medics tried to reassure him, though there was one scare.
He recalled of one chat: “He said, ‘Our aim was to cure you, but we did find something else. We found a spot on your lung’. That took the wind out of me.”
But staff quickly realised the spot was of no concern to Peter’s health.
Peter underwent 25 sessions of radiation, every day for five weeks.
He said: “Radiation just sucks the energy out of you. I get very, very tired.
“My energy levels haven’t recovered to what they were prior to me starting, even the drugs they put you on. Because your testosterone is taken out of your body. That’s like the battery, that’s like your Duracell battery. I don’t have any batteries anymore.”
Get checked
Following his experience, Peter urged men to get checked sooner rather than later.
He said: “If you just have an inkling something might be up, would you test your PSA, please.”
Speaking out about it is just as important as getting checked. Peter said: “If you’ve got cancer, don’t let it stay inside you as in your feelings.
“If you can talk to anybody about what you’re going through, about your feelings or you might want to get some advice — ring somebody. Ring a good friend, don’t keep it to yourself.
“My wife, Margaret, as we call my two sons, are my rocks. Without them, I don’t think I’d be here.”
One in seven men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Ireland, according to the HSE.
It is the second most common cause of cancer death in men in Ireland — with over 3,300 cases each year.
- THE HSE have launched a guide — Having your Prostate Checked — on its website. For more information see cancer.ie. People can also contact the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on 1800 200 700 or [email protected].
Signs of prostate problems
Signs of prostate problems include:
Peeing more often or getting up during the night to pee.
Difficulty peeing or urine has a weaker flow than usual.
Feeling as if you have not emptied your bladder fully or are straining to empty your bladder.
Blood in your urine or semen.
Unexplained back pain or bone pain.
Unexplained significant weight loss.
Feeling tired and lacking energy.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
