A SURVIVOR of prostate cancer is encouraging men in Reading to get themselves checked this Men’s Health Awareness Month.
Chris Uden, 74, of Reading, decided to get a prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) in 2018 when he heard of actor Stephen Fry’s diagnosis.
Mr Uden said he was “gobsmacked” when he found out he had the disease at an advanced stage.
“My wife was the one who originally encouraged me to go to the clinic just to check on my health,” he said.
“I had no idea that I had cancer and it is really is down to the support from my family and to Stephen Fry speaking out that motivated me to get the PSA test.”
Mr Uden stressed the importance of getting an early diagnosis
After going through radium and hormone treatment at Royal Berkshire Hospital, Mr Uden praised the staff on their guidance and patience with him.
“My experience with Royal Berkshire Hospital was aboslutely fantastic, they were always very encouraging and calmed the nerves whenever I had my treatment,” he said.
“It really made the whole journey a lot less stressful, I had such great confidence in their service and I was so happy to be in the hands of such a great team of medical professionals.”
As part of Men’s Health Awareness Month, a recent campaign, led by cancer care provider GenesisCare and Prostate Cancer Research, is urging more men to seek prostate medical advice.
The organisations carried out research to highlight it is vital men should reach out to health professionals.
And Mr Uden is supporting this by explaining that men feel awkward when talking about their health.
A study for the campaign found that 34% of men who have had prostate cancer admit their partner spotted the signs of a health issue.
And one in four men feel uncomfortable asking doctor’s questions.
Mr Uden expressed people should talk about cancer like they would if they had a bag leg.
“We need to normalise talking about it to each other, and if people ask me how I am, I always open up about my diagnosis which is crucial when going through your treatment and beyond,” he said.
Dr Naomi Elster, head of research and communications at Prostate Cancer Research, said: “This research highlights the importance of a man’s support network and asking questions to medical professionals, as those who asked questions were more than twice as likely to be more satisfied with their treatment.
“Cancers are not all treated the same and it’s important that your treatment is the best one for you.”
Dr Elster added: “Now that we can see how much happier people are with their treatment if they’re comfortable asking questions, we really hope more do.
“While medical professionals are experts in their field, you are the expert when it comes to you, and open communication will help you to work together to find the best approach for you as an individual.”
