Locals urge men to make prostate a priority

While some prostate cancers spread aggressively, most grow slowly and your chances of getting prostate cancer can be affected by your family history, ethnicity and age.

Moira Shire Councillor and local farmer Peter Lawless had been getting tested for prostate cancer for around seven to eight years due to a family member being diagnosed in the years previous.

With doctors monitoring PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) levels and Peter’s readings steadily on the increase, he received the news everyone dreads to hear.

“I had been getting tested for almost a decade due to my age and having a family history of prostate cancer. There were no symptoms, but I thought it was best to stay on top of my health,” Peter said.

“I never wanted to look back knowing something could have been done just by me having a simple test.

“Over the years my PSA was steadily rising and falling but the doctors continued to monitor it and weren’t too concerned until it began getting profoundly higher.

“At the age of 67 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“It seems ridiculous, but due to my family history I knew it was going to happen and although having the initial shock to hear you have cancer, I was not surprised.”

Following his diagnosis Peter’s specialist in Albury told him it was time to focus on himself, not worry about the world around him and take some ‘me time’.

“After my diagnosis, and from the doctors being onto it early, I had prostatectomy surgery (removal of the prostate),” Peter said.

“Some people must have radiation and then the surgery and possibly more radiation after. Luckily, I had my surgery and they did the biopsies to check that it had all been removed and then was I able to recover.

“My recovery unfortunately took a little while longer as I got covid after returning home which knocked me a bit and I had some weight loss but for the cancer to have been removed was all that mattered.

Now, a year on from his diagnosis and subsequent surgery, Peter is healthy after visiting his specialist only last week to receive further good news that the cancer has not returned.

“I was very lucky,” Peter said.

“It was caught early and removed from my body. Now I can live my life happily and relatively healthily.

“I now have a blood test every three months which is being moved out to six months to ensure that the cancer has not returned and that everything

“Many men are still reluctant to get tested as they do not realise it is just a simple blood test, there is no harm in it.

“I have known men who have not had any symptoms, so they have not been tested and then when they have finally decided to, the cancer had spread.

“There is such an importance of getting tested early. Prostate cancer has a 96 percent survival rate if caught early. Why not have the blood test to make sure it is caught in the initial stages?”

In Corowa, well-known local David Harrison who is often seen umpiring at local football matches or hanging around the Corowa Railway Station volunteering for local men’s groups, heard the fateful words that he had prostate cancer only two months ago.

Less than five weeks ago David had prostate cancer surgery and is now in the recovery stage.

“It was not in my retirement plan. I’m going really well and almost back to normal, but it is a big life event and happens suddenly,” he said.

“I’ve always been aware of the numbers behind this disease, one in six men and because my father had it, I knew I was five times more at risk. Hence the PSA tests every year since I turned 50.

“They have been perfect until bingo a little blip this year and next thing I know a specialist is offering me major surgery immediately.

“Thankfully we got this early and I will be fine, but I have learned a lot in the last couple of months. It certainly curtailed my football finals campaign.

“I am just thankful my doctor Ayon Guha picked this up early and acted. I spoke to him last week and he suggested it seems to be getting worse locally.

“The number of blokes I come across who totally ignore this disease and don’t have regular tests. Often that is a misguided thought that it involves a finger - it doesn’t, it’s a blood test.

“I am also convinced that although there is no documented cause or prevention to this disease that men should make sure that they retain good health in later life to be ready for this if it happens. Don’t smoke, get some exercise and be ready - you just never know.”

The data shows that there is a shocking risk level in Federation Shire (largely age related) with men three times more likely to receive a diagnosis compared to the rest of the state.”

Both Peter and David agree that getting tested and early detection could save men’s lives.

“When you look at the fact that you could do something about, just do it.”