Peter Ellis, 58, from Sutton, South London, says a routine health check saved his life after it detected prostate cancer despite him having no symptoms. In 2018, his GP recommended a PSA blood test, which measures prostate-specific antigen levels, 'just in case', and he agreed. The results showed elevated levels, leading to a diagnosis of stage two prostate cancer one day before his 50th birthday.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Ellis, a telecommunications worker, underwent a prostatectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the prostate gland, which appeared successful for about 12 months. When his levels rose again, he received radiotherapy, followed by another round of treatment and hormone therapy lasting two years. Today, he is free of cancer and only dealing with mild side effects.
He said: "Prostate cancer changed my life but more importantly early detection saved it. I had no symptoms. If I hadn't gone for that test, I probably wouldn't be here today. I would not have asked for it if the doctor hadn't suggested it."
Raising Awareness
Ellis now works as a spokesperson for Prostate Cancer UK, giving talks at local libraries that he finances himself. He aims to visit all 33 London boroughs within 12 months and has raised £3,955 through his GoFundMe page. His primary fundraising event was a wing walk on September 18th, where he was strapped to a Second World War biplane flying at 120 mph.
He said: "Everyone does a sponsored walk or a sponsored run. I wanted to do something that was going to catch the imagination. People were quite vocal about me being mad. It got people talking about prostate cancer and what I am trying to do."
Ellis encourages men to seek medical checks even when they feel well, as early detection is crucial. He added: "In the early stages of prostate cancer there are no symptoms so you have to be proactive about it. You have to get ahead of it before it gets ahead of you. You have to take care of your own destiny because no one else is going to do it for you."
