A dad was "knocked off his feet" after unexpected results from a routine blood test.
"Fit and healthy" Keith Gabbidon-Thompson went for his regular routine health checks, which included a prostate check. Assuming all was okay, he was soon diagnosed with prostate cancer - a diagnosis that he said had come out of the blue.
But the Halewood dad was able to have his prostate removed in 2020 and after, was told his cancer was "undetectable". Attending regular blood tests, Keith thought that was that and he was officially "cancer free".
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But news last year left him "more shaken" than his initial diagnosis in 2019. Blood tests showed cancer had been detectible.
He told the ECHO: "I thought once I had my prostate removed it couldn't come back but I was on my six-monthly check and it went from 0.01 to 2.3 so they thought my cancer had returned. It was likely a microscopic piece that had started to show itself and was spotted from the blood tests.
"That meant that now the cancer was detectible again and it knocked me off my feet. That news was more shocking than being told I had cancer the first time. How had it come back? Were my days numbered?
"I was reassured that that wasn't the case. I'd lost a stone in two weeks because of the worry but I was told there were things we could do and there was light at the end of the tunnel."
Last summer, Keith underwent a gruelling 33 days of external radiotherapy at the Clatterbridge, all the while carrying on with his life "as normal". Keith, who is a mentor at Mind Moves, said just after Christmas, good news came that the cancer detection had decreased.
He added: "Sometimes it can take a year to get a result but mine showed it was working. The next thing to do is check and see if it goes back to being undetectable so I need to do regular blood tests.
"If it doesn't, the alternative is chemotherapy. I've come to the conclusion that if I have to live with cancer, I live with it. It's not about fighting or battling, I've moved away from that mindset, it's about surviving cancer each day, week, month and year and the end goal is to survive cancer completely."
Keith has been sharing his own experience in the hopes of raising awareness and urging men to get their vital checks. Although eligibility in the UK is over the age of 50, Keith urges men over the age of 40 to request a PSA blood test from their GP.
After finding out his own dad died from prostate cancer and putting off his own test, he said: "Many people 40 or under can be carrying prostate cancer so I always tell people to think about getting a test. I'm still campaigning everywhere I go.
"People think it's straight to a finger up the rectum but it's not, a simple blood test can see if there's anything worrying there. The thing with men is, they don't like going to the doctor's but give your head a wobble, it could be life or death.
"The message is simply, get checked. I had no symptoms at the beginning and none when it came back. Just get checked. You don't want to get checked too late and things have become too serious."
Prostate cancer
According to the NHS, prostate cancer usually develops slowly, so there may be no signs for many years. Common symptoms can include an increased need to pee, straining while you pee and a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied.
The causes of prostate cancer are largely unknown. But certain things can increase your risk of developing the condition such as your age, ethnicity and family history.
More can be found here.
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