The Man stood next to me in the picture is my father,he is my strength , my rock and quite simply my hero.
He has always been there when i have needed him and the thought of him not being there rips my heart out.
Last year he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.
i am doing this charity bike ride to raise funds to aid in the research of finding a cure, whilst it may be to late to find a cure for my father, it may help find a cure for countless others.
Only men have a prostate gland. The prostate is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra – the tube men urinate and ejaculate through.
Its main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.
Prostate cancer can develop when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way. Prostate cancer often grows slowly to start with and may never cause any problems. But some men have prostate cancer that is more likely to spread. This needs treatment to stop it spreading outside the prostate.
Prostate cancer that’s contained inside the prostate (called localised prostate cancer or early prostate cancer) doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. But some men might have some urinary problems. These can be mild and happen over many years and may be a sign of a benign prostate problem, rather than prostate cancer.
Changes to look out for include
- needing to urinate more often than usual, including at night – for example if you often need to go again two hours
- difficulty starting to urinate
- straining or taking a long time to finish urinating
- a weak flow when you urinate
- a feeling that you’re not emptying your bladder fully
- needing to rush to the toilet – sometimes leaking before you get there
- dribbling urine after you finish.
Less common symptoms include
- pain when urinating
- pain when ejaculating
- blood in your urine or semen*
- problems getting or keeping an erection – this isn’t a common symptom of a prostate problem and is more often linked to other health conditions such as diabetes or heart problems.
*Blood in your urine or semen can be caused by other health problems. Talk to your doctor if you see any blood in your urine or semen.
For some men the first symptoms of prostate cancer might be new pain in the back, hips or pelvis. This can be caused by cancer that’s spread to the bones (advanced prostate cancer). These symptoms are often caused by other problems such as general aches or arthritis. But it’s still a good idea to get them checked out by your GP.
Most men with early prostate cancer don't have any symptoms. If you're worried about your risk or are experiencing any symptoms, visit your GP.
