September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month. Chris Elliott has shared his story as a timely reminder to familiarise yourself with the symptoms.
WA's most common cancer in men
Prostate cancer develops when abnormal cells in the prostate gland grow in an uncontrolled way, forming a tumour.
It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Western Australian men, with an estimated 1 in 8 men diagnosed by the age of 75.
When the cancer is found in an earlier stage, there is a better chance of successful treatment, so finding cancer early can make a real difference.
Chris' story
In 2019, Beverly resident Chris Elliott was enjoying his retirement and keeping active with yoga, swimming and walking. He had noticed some slow urination, but had thoughts nothing of it, assuming this was simply due to getting older.
"I went to my doctor for an annual check-up, not thinking there would be anything wrong. They diagnosed me with an aggressive stage 4 prostate cancer and told me I had two years to live", he shares.
Chris' prognosis was later extended to five years, and he has since been receiving chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and spending time with his family.
Despite his ongoing treatment, Chris maintains high spirits and a positive outlook on life. He recently returned from a four-month holiday in Europe where he covered 1,1000km over 50 days from the St. Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compestela.
He says, "even though I have stage 4 cancer, I am still alive and it's not going to stop me enjoying life".
Chris shares his story to raise awareness about prostate cancer and to encourage other men to see their doctor straight away if they notice any symptoms. Currently, there is no test that can be used to screen for prostate cancer, so it is vital men are aware of these symptoms.
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Book an appointment with your doctor if you have noticed symptoms, such as:
- Blood in your wee or semen (once or more)
Or, for more than four weeks:
- Waking a lot at night to wee
- Sudden or urgent need to wee
- Needing to wee a lot
- Problems starting or stopping weeing
- Slow or weak flow when weeing
- Dribbling at the end of weeing
- Losing weight without trying
