U3A helps spread the message

I have to give many thanks to the Aughton and Ormskirk branch of U3A for including a piece about the Clean up Prostate Cancer project in their recent newsletter. Several weeks ago JB encouraged me to send information about the project to the editors which I duly did, including a poster and leaflets. Locally, U3A has approx 2000 members so this was a golden chance to take a massive step forward in raising awareness of the message we are spreading. Thank you for helping us out.

The piece entitled “How is your Prostate?” picked up on a number of points I wanted to publicise -

•         In England, men over the age of 50 are entitled to request a PSA check at their local GP centre.
•         That I always carry copies of the Know your Prostate guide when I’m out collecting rubbish. Stop me and ask for one.
•          The rubbish I collect and leave bagged at the roadside is later collected by the local council, usually within 2 working days.

The U3A is a national organisation but each group runs events inspired and organised by its own members. The focus is on people who have finshed working and for me that is exactly the age group which needs to know about the potential risk of Prostate Cancer. While most us dream of a long and happy retirement it can be quite difficult to adjust to the lack of social contact and the absence of structure. Many have a grand plan for filling their time but others struggle to work out what they really want to do. The local U3A branch here offers almost 100 wide ranging activities through their groups. To find out what’s on and how to join in visit

www.u3a.org.uk

and specifically for Aughton and Ormskirk

www.aughton-ormskirk-u3a.co.uk

Pre Christmas action update

Yesterday I had to go out on an errand which took me down Northway and on to County Rd, Ormskirk. The amount of litter on the verges was appalling and I made a mental note to get down there as soon as I could. Completely unnecessary as it turns out because on my return members of the WLDC waste team were well into the task.

Earlier in the week I got an update from Conor who was out on his usual patch around Clieves Hill on the 13^th to collect 4 bags. He’s made the ultimate commitment by treating himself to a litter picker for Christmas. There’s no way back now Conor. Go for it!

I’ve been working on a section of Northway further out of town recently so I headed back there this afternoon to the area around the junction with Springfield Rd in Aughton. I was determined to go all the way to the southern border of Lancashire, only about 160 yards but I finally made to Robin’s Bridge having collected 3 bags along with miscellaneous larger items. It was a glorious afternoon, didn’t even have to wear a coat! Had a chat with Nigel who accepted a Know your Prostate leaflet. I also have another 5p to add to the pot found on the roadside.

I parked near the end of Springfield Rd where the old road used to be it allows me to pull onto the side safely. Sadly, these days it’s a rubbish blackspot, I’ve collected there before but there was at least as much again today, as illustrated. Having described all the activity removing litter I have come across this week, it is incredible how little noticeable effect we’re having. To the left is the before picture and to the right after. It is so worth it!

Bottoms up!

Got in a couple of collections this weekend on Northway, Aughton on the very edge of Lancashire. 6 bags all together but it was a frustrating time, much of the litter has been blown into the impenetrable, prickly undergrowth and sadly I left as much behind as I took. Anyone passing as I worked won’t have seen much more than my rear end as I plunged Winnie the Pooh like into the undergrowth. If you remember Pooh got stuck because he ate too much honey when visiting rabbit’s burrow!  An idea of what I was after is shown.

On a more positive note, enough people were out enjoying a break in the weather that I was able to give out 7 leaflets. It was really good to chat with Jen Sullivan whose husband, Dave, has already had treatment for precancerous prostate problems. Glad to know the potential issue has been dealt with, as you know this situation is exactly what I am aiming for by raising awareness. Jen was were interested in the project and was generous in her encouragement, it really gave me a nice boost.

Mark and Molly were walking their dog and emptied the change from their pocket which I will pass on to Prostate Cancer UK. Though much younger than most men at the age accepted for increased risk, Mark also accepted a leaflet to pass on to his Dad. I hope he has a look at it too, in this case you really do need to know in advance.

The photo, looking back to where the lorry is parked, shows most of the area I have managed to cover in 6 hours of collecting, probably no more than 300yds in total. The road is a main access route into Liverpool and a dual carriage way, it is also very exposed with wind swirling across the flat moss lands from the coast. Regarding litter it is a real gathering point, I guess I could go collecting there every day and still not manage to keep the verges entirely clear. Still the yards are a valuable addition to my 10,000 challenge total which currently stands at 7964yds of cleared roadsides.

Campaign branches out

Made a bit of a mess ordering copies of the Know your Prostate quick guide recently and ended up receiving 50 copies of this excellent booklet of the same name. It contains a wealth of information about the prostate but being A5 it is a bit cumbersome to carry around on my collections. I did not want to waste them so have spent the last few days mulling over how to put them to the best use.

Libraries are fabulous community resources, they are open to everyone at no charge. They provide access to information, self development and leisure opportunities as well as the internet. Most also have an area to promote local information and events and often include health related leaflets. I used to work in libraries and am a regular user so I know how many and varied are the visitors to branches across the county. I still have one or two contacts so I made a phone call this week and dropped them into my local library. It is all arranged and before long the leaflets will be whizzing via the internal transports for distribution to branches throughout South Lancashire. I call that a result.

November accounts - highs and lows

November accounts

6 bags collected inc 2 from Conor

3 sessions

30 leaflets handed out

1 poster

No income

A mixed bag of highs and lows for last month largely dictated by the appalling weather we’ve had in the North West of England. I started the project at the begining of the summer with the naive belief I could just pop out to gather rubbish and pass my Know your Prostate Cancer leaflets to walkers and cyclists year round. I can’t believe I failed to factor in the notorious English weather. Anyway, my focus now is to find opportunities to carry on the campaign inspite of howling winds and driving rain. At least my visit to Southport Cycle Club maintained the momentum. Thanks chaps.

Celebrations!

Great news today! Via the Macmillan PC group I've been keeping in touch with a guy who was recently diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. His PSA was similar to Tom's. I just wanted to give some support, someone to share his fears and doubts as well as offering our example of how it doesn't have to be the end of the World. The waiting has been a horrible time for him but today news came he is suitable for having his prostate removed. This treatment is not usually available when the cancer has spread beyond the gland. Yippeee. The treatment is not without its issues but it is radical, the gland is gone and can do no more damage. Just in case you don't know where this walnut sized potential time bomb is, I'm providing an illustration. It's there at the base of the bladder.

I decided to see if I could contribute in this way because when we were really struggling I found Mark on the (then) Prostate Cancer Forum. I’m sure I have mentioned him before and if I haven’t it was unforgivably remiss. Mark had the ability to say just the right thing. Guiding, reassuring, basically just believing. Sadly, Mark Kenealy died in 2012 aged just 52 but there are many many people who are very grateful he touched their life and hold him fast in their memory.

www.macmillan.org.uk offers forum style groups for all cancers where you can seek help and advice, share the dark hours and also the good stuff from and with others with your form of cancer. It is also a great place for relatives, partners and friends to get an insight into their loved one's feelings and experiences. In addition the site has medically qualified and support staff who can provide guidance in all aspects of living with cancer.

Illness, it is not just about you

Received my copy of Local Life this week, it’s a local booklet for community news in the towns and villages around Ormskirk, Lancashire. Buried on p19 was a piece about a health initiative called “Stay healthy for the ones you love”. It offers a free health check with your local doctor for all men and women aged 40-71 years who have no existing medical conditions. I really welcome this project, Tom went to see his doctor about a dodgy knee and thanks to his doctor urging him to have an overall check up we learned of his Prostate Cancer just in time. It wasn’t until after a series of tests we were told the cancer was still contained within the prostate gland and prospects for his future health were good.

That inital news was pretty overwhelming for Tom but he wasn’t the only one, the whole family was devestated. The impact for us was mainly emotional because our finances didn’t entirely depend on Tom’s income. We’d certainly miss it but we weren’t going to starve or be thrown out of our house. For people diagnosed with a serious illness who have dependents and who are providing a significant part of the household income, these are the practical nightmares to add to the emotional ones.

For yourself but also for your loved ones please do consider getting checked whether you have symptoms or not. There are many diseases which don’t surface until they have already done significant damage. Good luck.

Asmall Lane, Ormskirk

At long last I’ve managed a couple of collections over the weekend resulting in 3 bulging bags of rubbish from High Moor Lane and Asmall Lane, Halsall. The weather in the North West of the UK has been nothing but rain and more rain through most of November. I don’t mind getting wet but the way it has been I’d need a wet suit. Lovely warm sunshine this afternoon made it a pleasure to be out. From the photos you will see that some of the old favourites came up again. What is it with cups and clothes? The book is What the Bible really teaches, a Jehovah’s Witnesses text. I wonder if rubbish was a problem at the time the Bible was written.

You may recall in an earlier post I mentioned I had accepted Prostate Cancer UK’s 10,000 challenge. My target was to collect rubbish over 10,000 yards of road. With the last 3 collections I have covered 7744yds towards my goal. Just in case you missed earlier posts 10,000 men die of Prostate Cancer each year in the UK. PCUK’s intention is I should seek sponsorship but that is not the aim of this project, it is all about raising awareness.

The collection had far more action than I could have anticipated. I do so hope there were no injuries in the crash which occurred at the junction with Cut Lane. The first I was aware was the arrival of the air ambulance, a fire engine and the police also attended. I was at that spot maybe 30 mins earlier. My best wishes to those involved.

Clothes - bin, recycle or donate?

Spent about 20 mins rooting through my wardrobe this morning to uncover this bulging bag of stuff which is now heading for the Cancer Research UK shop. It is the most relevant charity shop in our area for the cause and like many others at the moment they are appealing for donations at the moment.  According to Oxfam almost 10,000 items of clothing go to landfill every 5 minutes in the UK.  The charity shop will make the most of your unwanted clothing whether they sell it or pass it to the “rag man”. I’ve seen rates of £2 for each black bag but I can’t confirm that is accurate.

Done a bit of research and the textile recyclers handle the textiles in different ways but one of the most significant, to some controversial, is exporting our unwanted clothes to Eastern Europe and developing countries. I read somewhere that companies may sort the charity shop rejects into 30 different categories from clothing which is too damaged or dirty to use (so ends up shreaded for a variety of purposes) to those which can be traded. So already those rejects are providing employment. The controversy of exporting to developing contries lies in a consequential impact on local textile industries.  

 A more positive point of view is that clothes are being reused instead of being dumped and are also creating jobs for people in the country of destination. They may be involved in transporting shipments, unloading and processing deliveries or actually selling the clothes in local markets. According to the latest available UN figures, the UK is the second largest used clothing exporter after the US. It exported more than £380m ($600m), or 351,000 tonnes, worth of our discarded fashion overseas in 2013. Top destinations were included Ghana, Pakistan and Ukraine.

Can’t help but feel this is a far better outcome than adding to the 350,000 tonnes of used clothing which already goes directly to landfill in the UK. Among those in 2015 were the random variety I picked up from the verges. I’ve included a few photos to remind you. I leave it to you to decide what to do with your unwanted clothes but easily the most effective approach is to cut back on how many you buy.

Seasons

What a relief to get out again this afternoon after the terrible weather we have been having in the North West of England over recent days. To be quite honest it wasn’t the best collection I’ve made, all those lovely autumn leaves have been blown off the trees and who knows what rubbish is concealled beneath them. The rain meant that wonderful rustling leaf kicking experience was a complete non starter. I still do it when I can and always feel that giddy excitement of childhood.

So it was out on Northway for just a single bag with the usual collection of plastic bottles, crisp packets and cans. More noticeable was the bashed up football and the plant in the large pot which just may have been thrown over a rather high garden fence judging from its location. That caused a bit of a dilemma, there was no way I could carry pot, plant and soil any distance let alone continue collecting rubbish. Umm, in the end I emptied the pot and managed to get it into the bag leaving the plant and soil to decompose in the hedge bottom. Obviously this represented the easiest way for the owner to dispose of it but the thought process which led to the decision is bizarre, to say the least. Apart from the risk of serious back injury, why not just tip it out in the garden and put the pot in the bin? 

Autumn brings leaves, changeable weather and seasonal festivities. Harvest is in, Halloween is over and last week it was Bonfire Night. The date is marked in events across the country and the tradition  of setting fireworks is supposed to represent the gunpowder Guy Fawkes and his associates set but which he was unable to explode. Again, going back to my childhood, looking for the burned out shells the next day was part of the fun. Some of them would still be warm. The one which found its way into my bag this afternoon was long cold. No idea where this rocket started the journey which brought it on to the grass verge by Northway but I hope it brought  enough pleasure to justify littering the countryside with the remains. 

Back to business

Glad to get back to business today after the spell of appalling weather. It was blustery but warm out on High Moor Lane, Halsall. I didn’t have high expectations of distributing many leaflets but ended handed out 4 which was great. I chose this method of raising awareness of Prostate Cancer because I felt it would give me the opportunity to talk to people who may not otherwise come across quality information about the disease. Mr Grimshaw didn’t need the facts because he has already been diagnosed and is already being treated with hormones but as we chatted he mentioned a number of his friends who are currently receiving treatment. He was fully supportive of any move to raise awareness and was happy to take a leaflet to pass on to someone who was less knowledgeable.

Mr Grimshaw is a farmer and like so many other self employed people a serious illness can have significant impact on the basic business of maintaining an income as well as dealing with the illness. Farmers have to work the crops, may have animals to look after, have contracts to fulfill and just keep things going day after day after day. They may work alone or have employees but you have to be a pretty wealthy farmer not to have to get out there and do the work. Many other tradesmen and business owners will have the same burden of responsibility adding to the stress of dealing with illness. The same applies to the many contract workers created in the last number of years as employers make economies by cutting back on the extra financial commitments of permanent employment. Chronic illness can be crippling in more than a physical sense.

So today the rubbish haul was fairly ordinary except for the bag of rubble which had been fly tipped, various car parts and a section of orange plastic “fencing”. I had parked by the canal and was horrified to discover a large piece of machinery which has been dumped. I have a feeling it will take some heavy duty lifting gear to get rid of it. I wasn’t sure which agency was responsible for dealing with this kind of thing in this location so I’ve sent a message to the local council and requested them to pass it on to the relevant authority. 

Prostatitis or Prostate Cancer?

So what is prostatitis? I met David Blackburn this evening in Morrison’s Supermarket he was seeking long term donations to Smiletrain. This was a charity close to the heart of Tom’s sister, Joan. Donations following her death were in support of Smiletrain so I went across to say hell. I explained to David that, regettably, I was unable to make a long term commitment to the charity because of my Clean up Prostate Cancer project. David knew all about Prostate health, he has been diagnosed with Prostatitis symptoms which often mirror Prostate Cancer consequently his condition is monitored including PSA tests.

The Know your Prostate leaflet  describes the disease and is available for download from Men United. Basically, prostatitis is an infection or inflammation of the prostate which can cause urinary problems, pain in the groin, lower back or lower stomach area as well as classic infection symptoms like fever. There are 2 distinct types of the disease, acute and chronic. David told me his PSA had been as high as 13 before the prostatitis was controlled so it is understandable that sufferers may think they have cancer as David did, initially.  This image shows the urinary bladder and at the bottom you can see the prostate gland and understand why one of the primary symptoms of an issue is difficulty going to the toilet. 

If you experience any symptoms go to your medical practitioner or GP, until they have done the relevant tests you won’t know what is causing the problem(s). Don’t hesitate, these are indicators which cannot be ignored.

I'd just like to take a moment to introduce you to Smiletrain. It is an international charity with one aim, to provide access to cleft lip/palate surgery for those  who cannot afford to pay for it. These physical problems can cause difficulty eating and speaking which is bad enough but in some societies those children born with a cleft feature are ostracised, they are excluded from school and work. The Smiletrain website gives an insight to their experiences and explains how the charity has helped to improve the lives of  1,000,000 children/people with a simple operation visit www.smiletrain.org.uk.

October Accounts

A couple of days late, for which I apologise but Clean up Prostate Cancer has had another great month, largely due to John Appleton and my picking up the Prostate Cancer UK 10,000 challenge

23 bags of rubbish collected  (inc 1 from Conor and 3 fly tipped)

6 leaflets

£10.56 collected for Prostate Cancer UK

8 sessions

Onward and upward, looking forward to November, hope the weather and masses of leaves don't complicate things too much.  Watch this space

Southport Cycle Club gets the message

Way back in July I surprised 4 members from Southport Cycle Club when they took a break by suddenly appearing out of thin air to give them my Know your Prostate Cancer leaflet. If you recall, Mike suggested I get in touch with the Club to arrange a visit to their Monday night Forum. Not one to pass up on the opportunity to spread the message I contacted Allan who managed to find a gap in their busy schedule and tonight I received a very warm welcome from the members who were gathered. I spoke very briefly explaining what I did and why then passed around a box of Know your Prostate leaflets. I was delighted that 26 copies were taken and Colin (President), accepted a poster to display. I hope none of them ever need the information but at least they’ve got it.

Like so many clubs and societies this one has not escaped the impact of the disease having lost a dear friend. Delighted to meet Chris who was inspired to complete the EndtoEnd ride in 2013 in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. That’s 1100 miles John O Groats to Lands End, the long way round. Superb effort. Prostate Cancer can sneak up on any man, if we let it. It’s so good to find people with a special talent or interest adding their weight to the campaign helping to put a halt to men losing their lives and families having to live on with the most painful memories.

Thanks to all, however, I need to give special thanks to Allan who set up the visit, squeezing it into the Club’s very busy schedule. Hope the auction went well.

I felt so welcome I’m sure you would too so if you are interested in finding out more and possibly joining follow the link southportcyclingclub.co.uk. 

Prostate Cancer questions - get the right answer

When Tom was going for his radiotherapy sessions there was a particular day when he was struggling badly. Not really about the radiotherapy more about whether it would work. One of the radiotherapy team at Clatterbridge who was involved in his treatment noticed he was looking a bit low and asked why? She sat with him encouraging him to talk about his feelings before asking “Have you been looking at the Internet?” Of course he had and ended up scaring himself silly. Very forcibly she told him under no circumstances to rely on information he found online. If he needed information or advice to ask at the clinic. They had his notes, they knew about his treatment, they had the expertise to advise him on his situation or they knew where to find the person to do so.

Whoa you may say, after all this is a blog. Well, I specifically do not give any medical advice, I can’t I’m not medically trained but what I do have is practical experience of the impact of a diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. I know how we learned to cope. I know the mistakes we made and also the best moves we stumbled upon.

Accurate information is essential and it must be appropriate for you. But in the early days, before you get a definitive diagnosis and actually have access to the oncology specialist unit, you are bound to go seeking information. When we visited our local hospital recently we spotted an absolute treasure trove of top quality information in a display of booklets compiled by Prostate Cancer UK. Positioned in the Urology outpatients waiting area, these were substantial documents, readily available for any visitor to a range of outpatient clinics. They covered all aspects of the disease not only for the individual but the family and supporters too. The information is available for download on their website (oops that’s the internet again!). You can see the number of topics separately covered in the collection illustrated here on the right.

I picked up 3 which seemed relevant to us and the blog including "When you're close to a man with prostate cancer", "Prostate Cancer, a guide for men who have just been diagnosed" and "Follow-up after prostate cancer treatment - what happens next?" With the understanding the information is general, all are well written in a simple style with jargon explained. The information given about the disease and its potential emotional impact on you and your family is relevant internationally but of course details of how the organisation of diagnosis and treatment operates in the UK may not be applicable in other countries. Leaflets like these inevitably lead to more questions but I think they are useful because they are organised, they help you to think about topics in a sequence, you can write notes in the margin, underline interesting pieces, go back to them time and again. The main advantage is many, many experts and practitioners have come together and agreed the content making the booklets a pool of knowledge. In contrast the internet is like a mad tangle, following the separate threads and making sense of them is a nightmare, good advice, bad advice - how are you supposed to know? Stick to the "official" sites and be sure to talk with the people who know about your situation. We slept much better once we'd learnt that lesson!

Prostate Cancer UK 10000 Challenge

To highlight the more than 10,000 men in the UK who die of Prostate Cancer the charity continue to offer the 10,000 challenge. It has been going for a while.you just come up with any challenge which has a target of 10000. So collect 10,000 pennies or pounds, take 10,000 steps, run 10,000 metres. One of the more creative ideas came from Angela Sharpe who decided to take 10,000 photos in 100 days in memory of her father, Michael Jolly, who died of the disease.  She put on an exhibition as well as creating an online gallery of the photos, it includes a number of people affected by Prostate Cancer. http://www.angelasharpephotography.co.uk/

Prostate Cancer UK would like you to use the challenge as a fund raiser. Now as you know, the Clean up Prostate Cancer project is not about gathering donations but raising awareness. Still I liked the 10000 Challenge idea.  So mine is about collecting rubbish along 10,000 recorded yards of road. While I do not collect donations through the site you can always go to Men United.com and make one directly.  An interesting alternative would be to find others taking up the 10,000 Challenge on justgiving.com, virginmoney.com or any of the reputable donation sites.

How’s it going? With today’s collection to finish off Whiteley’s Lane, Lathom I’m well over half way to my goal – 5632 yards completed with an incredible 14 bags of rubbish collected in 6 separate sessions. I’m not including all the collecting I’m doing because sometimes actually doing a measurement can be complicated. Here's a selection of the rubbish which has gone into my Challenge bags.

Carrier bag charge, charities and the environment

The introduction of the 5p charge for carrier bags in England has certainly stirred up some dust. One of the main decision making factors was reducing litter. It’s worth pointing out that both Scotland and Wales, Northern Ireland and Eire already make the charge. Now in my line of business, roadside litter collections, I’ve come across quite a number and today I made a point of counting how many went into my bag. On a nice country lane surrounded by farmland I picked up 4. There is always plenty of other types of litter like drinks bottles and cans, cigarette debris but so often the carrier bags stand out like a sore thumb. Understandably, I support the charge. The availability of carrier bags has made us all just plain lazy.

The other aspect of the charge which is relevant to this blog is that proceeds from the charges are supposed to go to good causes. Could that include charities around Prostate Cancer? Well, earlier in the week, when I did a search, I couldn’t find anything from the major supermarkets but today found a number of statements. Proceeds in Morrisons are going to the Morrison’s Foundation from there they will be distributed. A number of supermarkets are contributing together to help establish a state of the art dementia centre in London, they include Asda, Iceland and Waitrose. Tesco will be supporting community green spaces initiatives. I’ve not found anything specifically for Prostate Cancer but Macmillan will benefit and they contribute so much to the care of those who are nearing the end of their life including men with advanced Prostate Cancer as well as their families. So it is good news all round.

I did find statistics from Morrisons regarding income from the charge in both Wales and Scotland just to get an idea of possible proceeds. The following is from their website. Don’t forget this is one supermarket and population sizes also vary between the home nations. Based on these figures this is going to be a serious windfall for the charities which receive support through the scheme. It is striking how many bags are still issued even with the charge.

Proceeds generated in Wales

Reporting year 2014/15

Number of Single use carrier bags	Gross Amount Received	VAT	Net Proceeds
9,596,430	£479,822	£79,970	£399,851

Proceeds generated in Scotland

Over the most recent reporting period proceeds generated from charging 5p for carrier bags in our Scottish stores generated a £460,206. 

Reporting year 2014/15

Number of Single use carrier bags	Gross Amount Received	VAT	Net Proceeds
9,204,124	£460,206	£76,701	£383,505

I mentioned in an earlier post we had been to Clatterbridge last week. From their we went for an unplanned visit to Cheshire Oaks – no bags! So I paid my 5p. In M&S I asked the question about where proceeds would go. The assistant did not know but she did tell me that that Clatterbridge Cancer Charity was that particular store’s nominated charity. There were collection boxes all along the counter and the assistant was so enthusiastic. Well done  to all those retailers who support their local community.

Can't see anything but good coming from this law. Now we have to work out how to get rid of all that plastic wrapping so many of our purchases come in.

Information is power

I am a keen genealogist, I’ve spent hours over many years tracking down people who share the tiniest drop of a bloodline. It has taken me all over the World. One of the many fascinating discoveries I made was the grandaughter of Dad’s Uncle Robert who emigrated to South Africa in 1920s then disappeared so far as the remaining family was aware. Sally was able to tell me about the medical issues their branch of the family had, Type 1 diabetes and thyroid. Bingo, it was a match and provided me with answers which had hung in the air for years. Those genes!

Genes have become a modern day fascination of medical communities. You cannot be unaware of the contribution the discovery of how to read DNA has made to medical science. It is relevant to Prostate Cancer. For some people, including Tom, the susceptability to this cancer is thought to increase with heritage. His father and his uncle were both diagnosed. We don’t know of any other member of the family having had the disease. In the past Prostate Cancer would only be recognised at an advanced stage and life expectancy was much lower than today. It is likely many men living with the condition would die of something else without being aware of the cancer.

Another interesting aspect of increased diagnosis of Prostate Cancer within family groups is how far awareness plays a role. Today we are so much more aware of those blood links but maybe 30 years ago the death of a grandfather as a result of Prostate Cancer would be mourned by sons and grandsons, brothers, nephews and cousins but would they all go out and get a PSA? (It wasn’t readily available then but you get the point.) So is the incidence within family groups partly a consequence of awareness?

Colin Jackson, our Olympic hero, certainly thinks so. He has linked up with fellow athelete Donovan Bailey to spread the word. Colin has checks every 2 years – 2 of his uncles were diagnosed. Donovan lost his grandfather and 2 uncles have been diagnosed. In their case the ethnic factor comes in to play. The incidence of the disease in black men with West Indian heritage is 1 in 4. Colin was born in Wales but his parents had emigrated from Jamaica while Donovan was born there.

Then there is age. The older you men are the more likely you are to be living with Prostate Cancer. Much of this is down to the changes in your body in middle age.

Those incidence rates I’ve quoted are useful, they give us information. Information = power. The problem is making sure you get the right kind of information and act on it.

·        You don’t need any of these heritage factors to get Prostate Cancer.

·        Being aware and acting early gives you the best chance of survival.

·        Sharing this message with your family, friends and colleagues could help keep them safe.

What does go into my sacks?

I am being very brave about the occupational injury I experienced today on Wigan Rd, Lathom. Of course, like many such injuries it was all down to being distracted  even so that nettle had a pretty fiercesome sting. Not withstanding I did manage to collect 2 bags of rubbish and I have to say it was one of the most bizarre combinations of items I have yet picked up. On the bright side the 6p will go into the Prostate Cancer UK moneybox.

I do wonder sometimes about the personal and valuable items which find their way on to the roadside verges. Previously, I found this whole wodge of documents and cards (not including bank cards) dating all the way back to 1998. Couldn’t work out the scenario but they definitely had been dumped en masse. There was nothing more recent and nothing of value but it has played on my mind as to whether I should have handed them in to the police.

Today I gathered up a parking ticket issued at Ormskirk Hospital in August and still in its wrapper and, more concerning. a bank card. It did look like it had been there a while so I brought it home and chopped it up.. 

More mundanely, I picked up this crushed bucket, this load strap and this promotional sign. It does get me a little annoyed when notices are put up along our roads solely for commercial reasons and are left. Incidentally, Cramford House is a collection of apartments on Ruff Lane, Ormskirk. As you can see, that sign has been littering the hedgerow for some time.

Toilet card for those sensitive situations

Just wanted to mention the Macmillan toilet card, Tom was offered one when we were @ Clatterbridge last week. Some cancers and their treatments, including Prostate, affect bladder and bowel function. The idea is you show the key ring or card to businesses and shops etc and they will be sympathetic to this sensitive issue without loads of embarrassing questions. While we're on the subject, a RADAR key costs £4.50 (Disability Rights UK) and gives access to locked public toilets.

This is our experience in the UK. It would be really helpful if you had information about this kind of support in other countries, worldwide.

Litter picker's dilemma

It may seem that collecting rubbish thrown on the roadside is a very straight forward business but just occasionally it provokes a real dilemma. Yesterday finishing off the rural section of Long Lane, Aughton I picked up the remains of a styrofoam take away box. It was so heavy I turned it over and found these guys bedding down for the winter. So what do I do? No options really, I carefully placed this impromptu bed back in the hedge bottom. I’m sure the piece of litter will still be there when I return to the spot, this kind of thing hangs around!

Neil, a passing cyclist, stopped to drop a piece of litter into my bag and accepted one of the Know you Prostate Cancer leaflets. He got in touch to the facebook page later offering his appreciation for the Clean up Prostate project and for giving his the chance to dump the rubbish, he had been “carrying it for miles”. The perfect fast track!

Quick update

Just a quick update tonight. Dashed off to Clatterbridge today for Tom’s Prostate checkup and things are looking good. PSA .17 made everyone very happy.  After each visit I think about what it has taken to get to this point and with those memories comes the ghost of how it could have been.  I always feel so very, very lucky to have the chance to beat the enemy. Others are not so fortunate which is why Clean up Prostate Cancer exists. Men need to know and to act.

While we are optimistic about our own battle, it hasn’t gone away.

“You cannot determine the hand you are dealt, but you can determine how you play that hand.”

Randy Pausch, “The last lecture”

Donation in memory of Sean Vesey

Sean Vesey 1954-2015

Thank you for your gift of £12.69 to Prostate Cancer UK in memory of Sean Vesey, Consultant Urology Surgeon .

You opted in for GiftAid – that means your donation is worth £15.86. 

If you have been following this blog you will be aware that the focus of Clean up Prostate Cancer is to raise awareness of the disease rather than soliciting donations. However, along the way, people have been very generous not only accepting Know your Prostate leaflets and listening to my story but also giving. Having surpassed my £10 target this weekend I made Clean up Prostate Cancer's first donation.

Sean Vesey was born in Ireland in 1954. He qualified in medicine before continuing his career in England, specialising in urological surgery. There are many online obituaries to Sean which all demonstrate his constant thirst for knowledge and improving treatments. He took his expertise abroad sharing his experience with colleagues and patients in the Gambia. There is no question of his contribution to treatment of prostate cancer but the overwhelming impact of his work will be on the men who have benefitted individually. Because of his determination to share and to teach that impact will continue far into the future and beyond the boundaries of his career. Sean is part of our life because he had set up and was lead clinician at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust when Tom was diagnosed and treated.

Sean’s death is a terrible example of the unpredictability of this cancer. He knew all that modern medicine knew about Prostate Cancer and still he did not realise he was living with it before it had advanced to the terminal stages. So by all means read the literature, listen to advice but think about getting a PSA just in case....

Away from the “shop front” it is perfectly clear Sean was a popular and vibrant friend and colleague. His family will have much to treasure and our best wishes go to them all as they come to terms with his loss.