Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Prostate cancer awareness month kicks off this March, with the aim of continuing to raise awareness for the disease, which can have devastating impacts on men, and also their families.
“In the UK, about 1 in 8 men are diagnosed with it each year. For Black men the rate is 1 in 4.” – Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sir Chris Hoy – Sporting legend
Prostate cancer can affect anyone, including sporting legend Sir Chris Hoy. His journey with cancer has been very well publicised, but still, many men are unaware of how common this disease is and do not get tested as frequently as they should.
Sir Chris Hoy, six-time Olympic track cycling champion, first announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2023. In October 2024, he further revealed that he had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer and only has a few years left to live.
Sir Chris Hoy has become a powerful advocate for prostate cancer awareness, using his platform to urge men to prioritise regular screenings. By sharing his personal journey through public speaking, fundraising, and his documentary, ‘Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me’, he highlights how the resilience gained through elite athletics has supported his fight against the disease.
Duncan’s Journey – Mann Broadbent, MD
Mann Broadbent’s very own Duncan Sutcliffe calls for greater awareness of the need for males over the age of 50 to request annual and, in his case, life-saving PSA tests for prostate cancer detection.
Despite prostate cancer being the most common cancer in men, there is no routine testing. Thanks to the local business group, Worcestershire Ambassadors, hosting annual PSA testing events where, in exchange for a donation, men are given a test, pie and chips, Duncan had been a regular participant. Having missed the 2025 event, he proactively requested a PSA test via his doctor’s surgery as part of a routine health check. Despite showing no symptoms at all, the test was positive, and things got more serious.
What happened next after Duncans postivie PSA test?
Further to the positive PSA test, further examinations, consultations, an MRI scan and finally a biopsy all took place alongside enjoying the normalcy of a summer full of Duncan’s active lifestyle, working and enjoying quality time with friends and family, even running all over the Worcestershire countryside. Unfortunately, while asymptomatic, the tests came back with the alarming news that Duncan was positive for prostate cancer.
Fortunately, the self-requested PSA test meant early detection, resulting in a small area of infection and a relatively straightforward removal of Duncan’s prostate with no other medical treatments necessary.
The surgery set Duncan back more than he anticipated, and instead of days, it was weeks before he had the energy to do even simple tasks. Yet after 3 months, fully recovered, he is back at work full time, socialising and even out running again, enjoying life to the full. Now he is passionate about raising awareness to potentially save the lives of other men who may well show no symptoms.
Duncan said: “ My case is like so many; I lead a fairly healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly and showed no signs of being ill. Fortunately, I was a regular attendee of a local testing event, which, when I missed it last year, spurred me to get a test via my GP. My following positive diagnosis could not have been handled better by the consultants, and my treatment, although uncomfortable and needing several months of recovery, means that I am now cancer-free. It’s vital that men over the age of 50 are aware of their personal risk factors and should talk to their GP about getting an annual PSA test in order to have the best chance of remaining cancer-free.
For more details about risk factors and how to go about getting a PSA test, please read this leaflet or visit Charity Prostate Cancer UK
