TV Bill: My battle with cancer has saved many men’s lives
gen) level – the standard marker, determined by a blood test was 583. It should’ve been less than five. We got it down to the 50s, so we’ve made some progress.
“The cancer has stopped spreading, but it hasn’t been beaten back entirely. We’re at a stalemate.”
Bill has said it is not clear how long he will live. But he joked his weight has gone up because of the steroids. “My daily dose of steroids have slapped a stone and a half on my once god-like physique, and I’m enjoying the joy of hot flushes, thanks to a male menopause inducing hormone treatment. “If the temperature goes one degree above normal, I turn beetroot and sweat cascades down behind my ears.” Bill described a holiday in Italy this summer which he spent with a damp tea towel on his head, “more Compo than Lawrence of Arabia”. Bill says everyone in the Turnbull household was getting to grips with the “new normal”.
“I work when I can, commentate on matches at the mighty Wycombe Wanderers, and tend my bees.”
Bill hosted BBC Breakfast for 15 years with presenters including Susanna Reid and Louise Minchin and left in 2016.
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has said he does not accept being called courageous for speaking out about cancer.
But he has paid tribute to his late colleague Rachael Bland, who died at 40 after blogging about cancer and showing “courage indeed”.
As well as Prostate Cancer UK, NHS England lauded him for talking about his illness in March. NHS England said there were 70,000 visits to the NHS website advice page on prostate cancer that month, a 250% increase from the monthly average of 20,000. Its boss Simon Stevens has praised Bill, as well as fellow sufferer Stephen Fry, saying: “The Turnbull and Fry effect could help save lives.”
NHS England said that from April to July 2018, 14,479 patients received treatment for a urological cancer – a rise of 36% compared with the same period in 2017. Mr Stevens says: “A debt of gratitude is owed to Bill Turnbull and Stephen Fry for the work they’ve done to urge men to seek medical advice if they think something isn’t right.”
Angela Culhane, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, says: “The impact of Bill Turnbull sharing his story is clear. Awareness of prostate cancer is increasing and more men are having potentially life-saving conversations with their GP, coming to us for more information and spreading the word. Bill’s story highlights once again the need for a screening programme in order to catch more prostate cancers early and save more lives.
“We’re committed to finding the tools needed to make this a reality.
“Being aware of his risk is a man’s greatest defence. Men over 50, black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk and should speak to their GP.”
She said specialist nurses are available to support men with prostate cancer or with concerns about it on 0800 074 8383.
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