Ride to get men to talk prostate cancer
IAN Harding always knew there was a chance he would be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“My father and his three brothers all died of prostate cancer,” Mr Harding said.
“I was monitoring my prostate for many, many years.
“I found out I had cancer 12 years ago and I got my prostate removed.”
Mr Harding said it was that early intervention and talking about the disease that saved his life.
“It’s so important to spread the word around, as young fells think they can leave it until they get to 70,” he said.
“I work with this guy whose father died of prostate cancer. I told him that although he’s only 42 he needs to get it checked. He got it checked and he had prostate cancer.
“He got it sorted thankfully, and he’s still alive now. He has a family. It’s just so critical to get checked.”
The 72-year-old has taken part in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in Toowoomba since it began in the city five years ago to help spread that message.
“It’s a very cruisey ride, a lot of fun, but with an enormously powerful meaning behind it,” he said.
Ride organiser Geoff Priest said the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was established in Sydney in 2012 and now occurred in dozens of cities worldwide, all on the last Sunday in September.
“It raises money for prostate cancer research and areas around men’s mental health,” he said. “This is the fifth year we’ve had the Toowoomba ride and we’ve raised $65,000 in that time.”
Mr Priest said about 70 riders put on their best vintage attire yesterday for the ride.
“It’s about getting dressed up and dapper. 102,000 people registered for it worldwide this year.”