FINGER OUT

everybody. It affects all the family. You’ll need help from them being taken for treatments.

“They are all involved. It can be hereditary. Any sons in the family could be in line for it.

“When I found out, I emailed all my male cousins and told them to get checked. And when you are going for appointments, always take someone with you because you don’t take a lot in.

“When it was me, I didn’t know what I needed to ask, so it’s a good idea to make a few notes before you go,” advised John, who will be urging his 14-yearold grandson to be prostate-aware when he reaches adulthood.

John’s message is simple: put your stubborn male pride aside and take the test.

“Because of the embarrassing test, men will not go and be seen. It is actually very silly,” said John, who is under no illusions that his cancer could return at any time.

“What I’d say to them is: it will not go away. Okay, you might be lucky and it might take a long time to develop. Everyone is different. There are some schools of thought that say that if you are going to get cancer, that is the best one to get because it is not generally aggressive. But we are all different. The secret is to go and get tested.”

For more information on the Lanarkshire support group, email Neil Armstrong: n. s. armstrong@ blueyonder.co.uk, or simply drop in for a chat.

I felt absolutely numb. I went into ‘why me?’ mode - John Morgan