A 60-year-old cancer survivor from Longridge will ride the second stage of the Tour de France next month to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.
On July 1, Stephen Black will be riding all 199km of the second stage of the Tour de France, while the professional athletes take on the first stage.
Stephen was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019, and hopes to raise not only money to help fund prostate cancer treatments, but also raise awareness about the disease and encourage younger men to get checked.
He now supports men diagnosed with prostate cancer and their families, giving advice from his lived experience with the condition.
At the weekend, Stephen was also in Tesco Bathgate riding a stationary bike – supported by his wife and twin daughters –collecting donations, encouraging people to get checked and spreading awareness.
Stephen said: “As a survivor I wanted to give something back.
“A lot of men, like myself at one point, thought prostate cancer only happened to old men.
“But I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 57 with no symptoms, which can be incredibly common.
“Now when I was told that I thought it was a death sentence.
“They even told me I could have had the cancer in my prostate for up to five years.
“It could have been there for another five years and I wouldn’t have had a clue.
“A big reason why a lot of old men die from prostate cancer is that the cancer has been building up for years.
“I had a lot of trouble getting diagnosed without symptoms and as someone who went through the whole process, I want to make it easier across the board for cancer patients.
“If my sons were ever to get prostate cancer, I would want the diagnosis, treatment, and everything to be easier for them.”
Common symptoms of prostate cancer include having to urinate more often than usual, often during the night, a weak flow while urinating, and general difficulty urinating.
It can be possible to be diagnosed with no symptoms, so cancer survivors like Stephen recommend that men should get their prostate checked even if they feel fine.
Stephen continued: “I see myself as a normal guy.
“I’m not an athlete, I’m not even a cyclist really, I’m an old asthmatic guy at 60 who owns a bike and has legs that still work.
“I’ll be taking on the second stage while the professionals take on the first.
“It’s a bit daunting, especially considering I hadn’t taken my bike out of the shed since last year before I started training.
“So I’m not going to suggest for a minute that I will set a time for the pros to beat.
“It’s the last time I’ll ever sit on a bike, so I’m going to push myself one last time and then go back to being old and unfit.”
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