I think if a man has any doubt at all he should go and see the GP, that’s his first point of contact. He can’t diagnose himself, he can’t feel any lumps so it’s got to be via the GP. There is absolutely nothing to fear in terms of pain, even if it’s a radical prostatectomy and the people who I’ve spoken to they all say the same thing. You’ve got some discomfort, you have after any operation, any surgical operation so theres nothing to fear, go and see the GP. In terms of life, if impotency is something that concerns you again I would say it doesn’t come into the equation as far as living is concerned there are other things to do, other things that you can enjoy, go out for meals, play sport, see your grandchildren growing up, all these things are just as valuable. The, the one thing you will need is support from your partner, that is essential. I think looking around the support group I see evidence that couples tend to become closer together when they’re confronted with a disease like this, but again unfortunately theres evidence that some female partners can’t cope with the situation, again it’s probably a natural reaction. So I don’t know what other advice to give. Certainly I personally cope by keeping myself occupied but I’m fortunate in that that’s always been my nature. I find it very difficult to sit, in fact you’ve been very lucky to get me to sit here for an hour (laughs), I tend to be up and moving around and doing something.

I think a positive attitude to the disease is essential, it’s so easy just to sit back and give up and think well I’ve got cancer, I’m going to die and that’s it. If you think I’ve got cancer and I’m not going to die I’m going to fight it I think that’s the way that you can beat it, so I think as I say a positive attitude and do everything you possibly can to help yourself, inform yourself as much as you possibly can so that you know what the best options are for you and do it that way.

Is there anything you’d like to tell other people, other men who’ve just been diagnosed, have you got any message for them?

Well I think, I think if you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer then the important thing is to…, well first of all it’s a shock, it’s bound to be a shock but once you’ve sort of got over the shock you know keep your head and collect information, ask questions, talk to people you know anybody that you feel comfortable with talking to, whether they’re in your family or outside. If you’re at all unsure about what the doctor is telling you ask him more questions or her and if you’re still not happy go and ask for a second opinion and you know recognise that the chances are that it’s a slow growing cancer and that there are treatments and theres also the option of just seeing how things go.

I suppose the thing is to meet it square on, accept the fact that there will be as many bonuses in meeting it and dealing with it as there will pitfalls of having to meet it and deal with it. From a life point of view it certainly changed my attitude and changed my outlook on life, for the better as far as I feel because things were very important to me, for all the wrong reasons years ago, are less significant these days, and the things that perhaps were less significant for me are very, very important, that’s your family and the ability to say yes I’m still here, I’m still here to take part in whatever life is.

I’m very anxious to do my bit in promoting awareness and also to promote awareness of the fact that the research funding is so totally inadequate when you think of the number of deaths. I think that the number of deaths should draw an appropriate amount of research money towards it. I mean it’s ‘4.7 million to breast cancer and it’s so much less for prostate cancer. They need to be aware that its gong to be the number 1 killer of men in the not too distant future, as is lung cancer is going to be the number 1 killer of women not too far from now because of the huge number of women that smoke. So it’s, my job is to increase awareness.