Latest news with #CancerUK
Scotsman
29-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
brothers walk 140 miles in memory of dad after battle with cancer
Brothers Stuart, James and Michael Thomson have undertaken a 140-mile walking challenge which will see them visit significant places from their dad's life after his sudden death from pancreatic cancer. Michael spoke to us about why they wanted to take on the gruelling challenge. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... We lost our dad two years ago, 10 days after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When dad got his diagnosis, we thought it was quite a rare cancer, but we've actually met a lot of people this week who know others who have been affected by this disease, so it's still very widespread and the survival rates are really really low. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We had it in our minds to do something to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK and wanted to take on a big challenge - but also to do something that was very much in dad's memory. A lot of good progress has been made in the last number of decades in terms of treatment, improving survival rates and detection of various cancers, but pancreatic cancer is not one of them, so anything we can do to raise awareness and funds for this charity would be very welcome by us as a family. It's something very dear to our hearts now and we want to provide support for families who are going through what we went through. Michael, Stuart and James Thomson are walking 140 miles in seven days in memory of their father Stephen Thomson. The 'Walking in our Fathers footsteps' fundraiser will raise vital funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK | Submitted We're taking on a big physical challenge. We're walking 140 miles over seven days, but it has a personal touch because we're stopping at places that were important to dad and meant something to him. It's allowed us to combine our tribute with a challenge that people can get behind and support a worthy cause. We launched our fundraiser at the start of the year when we were still planning the walk and contacted people who may want to get behind us - and a lot of them have. And now that we've started, people are seeing our updates and continuing to help our campaign. Even on the walk itself, people have seen us walking in our Pancreatic Cancer UK t-shirts walking down the street or coming into their restaurant or whatever and they're asking us about what we're doing and why we're doing it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Once they hear our story a lot of them are kindly donating as well so we've been blown away by the kindness of people. We've also learned how far-reaching pancreatic cancer is in terms of the impact it's had on so many people. From left to right: James, Stephen, Michael and Stuart Thomson at the Roxburghe House Hotel | submitted One of the nicest things about the walk has been to journey with my two brothers. We've had lots of conversations about our dad, particularly when we've visited these places, all the memories of the good times come flooding back and we've been able to reminisce and chat about them - it's just been a lovely thing to be able to do together. These are places that meant a lot to dad and places that we'll always associate with him so it's great to visit them one by one. Our friends and family have been there to welcome us at some of the places and walked alongside us for a wee part of the walk so that's been lovely as well, just to see that support Today (May 29) we'll visit our family business, JK Thomson in Musselburgh, where my dad worked for 40 years and helped drive it to where it is today. That will be a special stop, we've got a lot of staff who had a lot of love and care for dad, and we'll have family there as well of course. That will be our last stop today before we head to Edinburgh. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We'll finish the walk at our family holiday home in Elie on Saturday, which would have been dad's 58th birthday. We're looking forward to that because we've never actually walked the Fife coastal path before and we're expecting to have family and friends with us on that day. We're a close family and we generally do things together so it's been nice to be able to share stories together and just remember dad, who he was and what he stood for. It was a blessing to be able to call him our father.
Daily Record
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Renfrewshire blood cancer patient taking on a coast-to-coast cycling challenge for charity
When Robert Howat told his wife Suzanne he planned to cycle 250 miles across Scotland just months after being diagnosed with blood cancer, she thought he was 'nuts'. A Renfrewshire blood cancer patient is set to take on a coast-to-coast cycling challenge for charity. This June, Robert Howat and two friends will set off on a coast-to-coast cycling challenge from Stranraer in Wigtownshire to Eyemouth, Berwickshire, all to raise money and awareness for Blood Cancer UK. And when the 50-year-old told his wife Suzanne he planned to cycle 250 miles across Scotland just months after being diagnosed with blood cancer, she thought he was 'nuts'. Robert, from Kilbarchan, was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in 2024. 'I was quite fatigued, quite a lot of the time, me being me, I didn't tell anybody I wasn't feeling great,' Robert explained. 'I didn't want to feel embarrassed; I'd fall asleep sitting on the couch, I was dizzy all the time, and out of breath. My wife is a nurse practitioner, she took my stats, she didn't understand how I was still standing!' CLL is a slow-growing type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells and can often go unnoticed until it reaches a more advanced stage. Diagnosed while on oxygen in the hospital after a week, Robert admits his blood cancer diagnosis has been a shock for the family. He said: 'It's been a shock for the family, but I'm still trying to process why it's happened. I did everything right, I'm fit and healthy, I don't smoke, yet I've been dealt this hand.' Despite the shock, Robert's response is to carry on and be optimistic. He explained: 'When I got the diagnosis, I thought, 'What can I do to show people you can still live fully and help others while you're at it?' I'm on watch and wait, so I go in for check-ups every few months, and I want to show people what you can do with a blood cancer.' As a former police officer now working at Glasgow Airport, Robert is to take on an endurance challenge that would test even the fittest riders. Yet Robert's diagnosis of a blood cancer does mean that he's not able to train as much as he'd like. 'I have to be careful, CLL affects your immune system, so I need to avoid infection and balance exercise with recovery. I can't train like I used to,' he said. The 250-mile ride will take place over two days and include hills, wind, rain, and midges but Robert is looking forward to it. Setting off from Stranraer, the first day will take them to Newcastleton before the final leg to Eyemouth the next day. He's not doing it alone – he'll be joined by friends and fellow cyclists and supported by family and friends. His wife, Suzanne, despite calling the challenge 'mad', will be cheering from the sidelines, along with their daughters Eve and Adeline. Robert added: 'When I was well in the past I've run marathons, done tough mudders, and long bike rides but this is different. This one means more. I'm doing it show people you can still live with a cancer diagnosis.' The fundraising campaign has already began with over £1,000 coming into his JustGiving page. You can donate online by visiting Speaking about the challenge, Mairead Macleod, Blood Cancer UK's Scotland fundraising manager, said: 'Having a chronic leukaemia, a blood cancer, can be hard enough to navigate, and it's incredible Robert is still able to push himself to raise awareness and funds for Blood Cancer UK. 'Blood cancer is the UK's fifth most common blood cancer. It's because of the determination of people like Robert, we are able to fund more research into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of blood cancers. 'He's pedalling us closer to the day where we beat blood cancer for good.'
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Campaign urges Barnsley men to check prostate cancer risk online
A campaign has been launched to encourage more men to check their prostate cancer to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, prostate cancer has been the most commonly diagnosed cancer among the borough's male residents over the last five showed it was regularly diagnosed in advanced stages, which required more aggressive treatment and often resulted in poorer health outcomes, the local authority part of the "It might not be reyt" campaign, resident Anthony Devonport, who was diagnosed in 2019, urged people to get tested as "it can happen to anyone". One in eight men get prostate cancer, with the risk increasing for men over 50, black men or those with a family history of the disease."My dad's got prostate cancer, he's living with it, he's 81 now, so we are quite well aware of what that means as a family," Mr Devonport said."I did notice some symptoms my dad had had, which sort of alerted me to go and get checked." Since his diagnosis, Mr Devonport said he had made a full recovery and decided to share his story to raise awareness."It doesn't matter how fit you are, I'm a cyclist, I go to the gym, I run - it can happen to anyone," he said. Check your risk According to the NHS, prostate cancer usually develops slowly, meaning there may not be any symptoms for symptoms can include an increased need to urinate, straining while you urinate or feeling that your bladder has not fully these symptoms could be a sign of a non-cancerous problem, they should be reported to a Cancer UK and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council have now created a Barnsley-specific version of an online risk checker, which takes 30 seconds to use and involves answering three Cain, the council's cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said: "We want to help more men get the possible treatment to beat prostate cancer, which is why we're delighted to be partnering with Prostate Cancer UK on this new campaign."By working together and sharing this message across our communities, we can give prostate cancer the chop in Barnsley."Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Prostate cancer: Rapid at-home PSA tests spark concerns
At-home tests for men worried about prostate cancer can give inconsistent and inaccurate results, BBC News has tests, which resemble a Covid lateral flow strip, turn positive if a high level of a protein called PSA is detected in a drop of five rapid tests analysed by the BBC, one did not work, three were negative or all-clear, but one returned a false positive result - all from the same blood Cancer UK said it had significant concerns about the sale of the tests given their "questionable accuracy" and the absence of a doctor to interpret the results. Fifty and older There is no national prostate cancer screening programme in the UK, unlike for breast, bowel and cervical the onus is on men to request a blood test from their GP once they are over 50 years old, or from 45 for higher risk NHS test, which is processed in a laboratory, measures the level of PSA released by the prostate, a small gland involved in the production of semen.A high PSA level does not mean you have cancer but is a warning sign which can then lead to further scans and tests to rule out the levels can be high for a number of other reasons - including an infection, recent vigorous exercise or sex - or in some rare cases remain normal despite cancer. Google search data suggests interest in testing has risen sharply since the Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy went public with his own diagnosis in October of companies now sell self-testing kits designed to measure PSA are available online and from some pharmacies and convenience stores with prices from £6 to £ come in two main types:tests in which a blood sample is taken at home and posted to a private laboratory for analysisrapid tests which give a result in minutes and display a dark line if PSA is detected above a certain levelThe BBC analysed five rapid tests all bought online from different companies, using a blood sample taken on the same UK medicines regulator, the MHRA, says in its guidance that over-the-counter PSA kits are "not a reliable indicator of prostate cancer" and must not "claim to detect cancer".Instead, at-home tests are often marketed as a way to "screen" for the disease or "assess prostate cancer risk", language the regulator says would be allowed under the current of the home tests ordered by the BBC also arrived in packaging and with instructions clearly marked "for professional use only". For someone with no medical experience, the kits can be difficult to use. A disposable lancet must pierce the skin, before drops of blood can be sucked into a pipette, mixed with a chemical and placed in the test the five kits analysed by the BBC, one did not produce a readable result; three came back all clear; but one did show a solid dark line, indicating a PSA level above 4.0 ug/l.A private blood test taken the same day and sent to a laboratory showed a much lower reading of 0.27 ug/l."As your experience shows, these rapid tests appear to have questionable accuracy," says Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK."That's a big problem because they can falsely reassure people who really do have elevated levels of PSA and should seek further testing, or they can cause undue worry among people who are absolutely fine."Online reviews appear to bear that one, a customer posted that he was "really scared" after two rapid home tests indicated a high PSA level. A later NHS test showed his reading was another one-star review, a woman wrote that her husband took two home tests for "peace of mind" and both were negative. An NHS blood test then showed high levels of PSA and he was diagnosed with stage four prostate British In Vitro Diagnostics Association, which represents the blood testing industry, says that while home tests are appropriate in many circumstances, "this particular type of [PSA] test may not give an accurate indication of prostate health when taken outside the NHS".Instead it says men concerned they may have cancer should see their GP. In the NHS, doctors often use PSA testing as part of a wider consultation about prostate health, bringing in other risk factors like age, ethnicity and family Sam Merriel, a GP and prostate cancer researcher at the University of Manchester, says a full NHS laboratory test can give a far more detailed picture than a cheap home kit that is either positive or negative."The actual PSA reading is really important to understand because, as a GP, if I saw a PSA of 4.0 I'd be treating that very differently from a PSA of 400," he adds."You just don't get that level of information from a fast home test, so patients might not get the full picture." 'Dangerously outdated' Prostate Cancer UK describes the growth of home testing as "the symptom of a wider problem"."Too many men still don't realise they can access tests through a GP and the guidelines for doctors are dangerously outdated," says Amy Rylance from the Chris Hoy has been calling for the age to be lowered at which those at higher risk, such as black men or those with a family history, can ask their GP for PSA government says current guidelines should not stop doctors from offering a test under the age of 50, but critics say the rules are unclear and there are huge variations in diagnosis rates between GP Cancer UK has also been calling for a change to allow medics to proactively talk to higher risk patients about the pros and cons of testing instead of waiting for them to come forward.A spokesman for the Department of Health says it has asked the UK National Screening Committee, which advises the NHS, to review the evidence on testing, with a response expected later this year."Prostate cancer patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment but through our National Cancer Plan we will transform the way we treat cancer," he added.
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Kent: Presenter Steve Rider found cancer 'in the nick of time'
Sports presenter Steve Rider is raising awareness about prostate cancer as he shares the story of his experience with the broadcaster, who hosted the BBC's Grandstand and Sportsnight programmes, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023 and got tested after one of his friends was said that within five or six weeks he was having an emergency operation before the cancer had had a chance to spread. "So I found things absolutely in the nick of time, but most importantly I found it by luck," the Kent broadcaster added. He says although there is still work to be done, "the last hint of stigma" is being removed."People talk about it now, people joke about it now, but most importantly people treat it now," Rider Cancer UK says one in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease, with it being the most common cancer in there is no national screening programme and men need to request a blood test from their GP when they are over Cancer Research is calling for the government to ensure the NHS screens men who are at high risk and are over the age of 45. What symptoms should people check for? Common symptoms include:needing to urinate more frequently - particularly at nightdifficulty starting to urinate, weak flow and it taking a long timeblood in urine or semenThese symptoms can be caused by other conditions as well - but it is important to have any changes checked.
