A dad was in "complete disbelief" after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in his forties.
When Dave Hunt, 44, began having unusual symptoms, including feeling desperate to go to the toilet but unable to properly go, he had no idea he was suffering from prostate cancer, GrimsbyLive reports. He was diagnosed with the disease in September after recalling of the experiences of two of his friends, who had been diagnosed themselves a decade ago.
Dave, from St Helens, said: "When I was told I was in complete disbelief. It was a shock. But what really became apparent is that, considering my uncle died from the disease a few years ago, when I made contact with my dad and brother to tell them the news, they were upset, and said, 'What can we do for you?'
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"I asked them if either of them had been tested and it just amazed me that, based on our family history already, neither of them knew the signs or symptoms. As a family, we're two-and-a-half times more likely to get prostate cancer, so it just goes to show the complete lack of awareness."
Dave, an energy industry worker, is gearing up to take part in a sponsored walk on the Humber Bridge on Sunday, November 19, with all proceeds going to Prostate Cancer UK. In December, he will undergo a radical prostatectomy – the removal of his prostate – at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull.
Speaking about his diagnosis, the dad of two said: "Because of my age, I thought it'd just be an infection. When I was in the waiting area, I was sat with guys aged over 80 so everything felt very surreal. I saw the cancer nurse, and I knew at that point something wasn't good. But they were fantastic and told me about my treatment options.
"You feel life around you is continuing, and you're in this limbo. Any person, man, woman, diagnosed with cancer probably feels that way, but Prostate Cancer UK has so much support.
"They gave me guidance on how to tell my kids and even said if they wanted to ring up, they can. Obviously there's all sorts running through your mind, and you're like, 'How do I tell my kids that?'. My kids are my life and my world and to tell them something like that, you want their world to continue, you constantly try and shield them from anything bad, but in this case you can't."
Since his diagnosis, Dave, who moved to North Lincolnshire in 2008, has encouraged several of his friends to go and get checked at their GP surgeries – and wants as many men as possible to be aware of the symptoms of prostate cancer.
These include difficulty when urinating, a weak flow when urinating, a feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly, needing to urinate more often than usual and a sudden need to urinate. More information can be found here.
Dave said; "I don't pity myself with the situation I'm in, I want change. The chance of getting prostate cancer is one in eight, and more men need to be aware to look out for the signs and go and get themselves checked."
To donate to Dave's fundraiser and support his challenge, click here.
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