Jourdain Mcilquham, aged fifiteen and Kinsey Mcilquham aged seventeen wanted to help raise funds and awareness of prostate cancer. They decided the best way to do this was to take part in the Prostate Cymru Five Valleys Sportive. The brothers individually setup ‘justgiving’ accounts and went about collecting sponsorship from family and friends. The boys’ motivation was that their father, Ian Mcilquham, was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and received immediate treatment.
In January this year, Ian saw some posters about prostate cancer, he had no symptoms, but his father and another member of his family had suffered from it, so Ian decided that it would be a good idea to go for a blood test. The result showed that he had a raised level of PSA, which can indicate the presence of the disease. A biopsy and MRI scan carried out at the University Hospital of Wales, later confirmed that he had prostate cancer. As he was only fifty-two years old, Ian decided to undergo a radical prostatectomy – the removal of the prostate gland. His consultant advised him to have a robotic operation.
Ian says that it was ‘weird’ having a major operation while feeling fine, but he knew that the longer he waited for treatment, the more likely it was that the cancer would spread. Five weeks after having the operation, laboratory analysis of his prostate tissue revealed that the surgery had been a complete success. Ian will now be monitored by an NHS hospital and his GP, meaning that he can focus on getting strong enough to return to work.
Ian’s story is proof that it is important to know your risk of developing prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Welsh men and over 550 welsh men will die from this disease every year. If you have a brother of father with (or had) prostate cancer your risk increases to 1 in 3. If you are 48 years or older and are concerned, contact your local doctor who will be able to examine your prostate gland and discuss the merits of a prostate blood test (the PSA test).
Thank you to Jourdain and Kinsey Mcilquham for sharing your story and helping to raise awareness and funds for Prostate Cymru.