"Get checked - don't put it off:" Peterborough man urges others to take cancer test - after being diagnosed following visit to Prostate Outreach Bus

A Peterborough man who is battling prostate cancer has bravely urged others to make sure they get tested – in a bid to save lives.

Matt Biggin (58) was diagnosed with the condition following a visit to the Prostate Outreach Bus in the city centre earlier this year.

Now, with Father’s Day, and Men’s Health Week approaching, men – especially those aged 50 and over – are being urged to come forward to take the test, if they have not done so already.

One of the most successful projects in Peterborough in helping men get tested has been the Prostate Outreach Bus (provided by The Light Project) – with over 300 men having used the service. More community clinics currently being planned for the summer at yet to be decided locations and dates.

“I got the call to say test showed I had prostate cancer, and I don’t think it really sank in"

Matt thought he was generally healthy, and taking the test was not on his list of things to do – until partner Karen urged him to do so.

Demand on the free drop-in service meant that Matt was not able to be seen on the day, but the team took his details, and he was contacted with an appointment to have a PSA and blood test and an examination soon after.

Matt said: “I didn’t think too much about it at the time, and it was something I had been meaning to do and now I had. It was only when I was told my PSA levels were high that I was booked in for an MRI and biopsy within a matter of days.”

He added: “I got the call to say test showed I had prostate cancer, and I don’t think it really sank in. I had to face telling my family while trying to process news of the diagnosis myself – which had all happened very quickly from visiting the bus in February.”

Matt was also then faced with the anxiety of waiting for the results of a bone scan to see if the cancer had spread before a treatment plan could be put in place.

On receiving the reassuring news that the scan was negative; Matt told closer friends and is now bravely and openly sharing his story – as he currently awaits radiotherapy treatment this summer – to raise awareness of prostate cancer.

“My cancer has been caught early and I am dealing with things head on whilst carrying on with life as normally as I can.”

“It has been eye opening to learn how common this is, even by talking to friends – it can happen to anyone,” added Matt – who is currently undergoing hormone injections.

“My cancer has been caught early and I am dealing with things head on whilst carrying on with life as normally as I can.”

A professional master of ceremonies Matt is also helping to raise awareness by sharing his story on his own local radio show moremuzicradio.com – visiting Peterborough City Hospital to record an interview with North West Anglia Foundation Trust surgeon Jyoti Shah MBE.

He said: “My message to men is to go and get checked. Yes, there may be a little embarrassment, but the checks are really quick, easy and painless. Don’t put it off or make the excuse of being too busy.”

“Prostate cancer is a silent killer, but it is a cancer that we can cure if we pick it up early enough.”

Macmillan Consultant Urological Surgeon Miss Shah has spearheaded an initiative to invite men aged between 50-80, who have no known prostate cancer or have not had a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test within the past 12 months to come along to get tested at free community events.

She said: “Prostate cancer is a silent killer, but it is a cancer that we can cure if we pick it up early enough.”

“It is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with one in eight being diagnosed as some point in their lives – and for men from an Afro-Caribbean heritage, the risk is one in four.

“A lot of men like to bury their head in the sand when it comes to their health. They are often too busy to go to their doctor or to access the relevant services.

“But because prostate cancer often doesn’t have any symptoms – they won’t appreciate the need to go and get checked for a problem that effectively doesn’t exist. However, because there are no signs, that doesn’t mean that it’s not there.

“Matt’s story is typical of many men – and thankfully he did come to get checked, cancer was caught early, and he is now receiving treatment and is under the Trust’s care.”

She added: “With Father’s Day and Men’s Health Week approaching, it gives us a timely reminder to reach out to the men in our lives and prompt them to think about all aspects of their health and seek advice if they feel something isn’t quite right.”

Men’s Health Week runs from June 10 until June 16, and shines a spotlight on the unique health concerns impacting men and aims to promote the importance of addressing and managing health issues proactively.

The annual event encourages men to take charge of their well-being, make informed decisions about their lifestyle choices, and seek appropriate medical support when needed.