The founder of the Choir of Hard Knocks is turning his enthusiasm and positivity to a new cause after recently being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Jonathon Welch, award-winning singer, composer, and former Australian of the Year Local Hero was told he had the disease four weeks ago.
"It's been a crazy dodgeball game between my GP and a urologist as I went in to have an annual blood test," Dr Welch said.
"The test came back and the PSA level which is the fluid that runs through the prostate, was at 35 and it should be between 0 and 3.
"After many further tests, it's shown that I have prostate cancer.
"I was really shocked as I had no symptoms and still don't have any symptoms."
Dr Welch said the diagnosis spun him into a "what if" mode.
"When I was first told it freaked me out," he said.
"I was sending songs to my partner Matt for my funeral, which were probably mostly songs I had recorded with the Choir of Hard Knocks."
Early detection a relief
Prostate cancer is now the leading cause of cancer in Australia with the Prostate Council of Foundation Australia reporting that about one in five Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.
Dr Welch said he was glad to have a savvy GP that urged him to have a blood test now and not in a couple of years' time.
"I've had early detection, which is a Godsend because if I hadn't been tested it would be a different story," he said.
"The cancer is contained to my prostate which is good so I'm in the process of deciding on my treatment as I can have surgery to have it removed or brachytherapy therapy where a radioactive seed goes into the prostate.
"My urologist said I'm going to be around for many years yet, so I feel very calm despite the long road I have ahead yet."
He said telling his 13-year-old son was difficult.
"It was the hardest thing I've done in my life, but I was lucky to have a physician who helped me deliver the information and separate what was fact from fiction," Dr Welch said.
"We all really need to start talking about it and to keep things in check,"
Lending others a hand
Dr Welch is no stranger to helping others having founded the Choir of Hard Knocks in 2006.
He now wants to once again turn his negative experience into a positive one to encourage others to be tested.
"One man every 20 minutes being diagnosed, and many people haven't been going to get checks, especially during COVID," he said.
"When you get a result like I had, you realise how important it is to catch it early and how necessary this free blood test is to have every two years or annually."
Singing onwards and upwards
The now ambassador for Prostate Cancer Australia has recently moved to Queensland following two years of lockdown in Melbourne.
"I lived here in the 1980s when South Bank was a dirt road and pub and QPAC was being built and studied at the Queensland Conservatorium and it's always been my happy place," he said.
"I've revived my 'Men Aloud' choir, which I started for the Queensland Music Festival in 2019 where we have our 20 fantastic men with amazing voices singing together.
"I've also started 'Free Come and Sing' workshops which we do locally, and the first meeting saw 480 people come along."
Dr Welch will also take part in The Long Run to raise funds for the foundation which sees participants run, walk or wheel 72km over the month.
"If it can happen to me it can happen to anybody and I hope by taking part we not only raise awareness, and remind people that it can happen to men of any age," he said.
"I've got lots planned so I keep myself busy as the worry doesn't do me any good."
