This watch is very sentimental to me. It as given to by personally by Rotary. In 2022 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer which was a terrifying experience. I had no symptoms at all and only 50 years old.
I heard an awareness campaign on the radio about prostate cancer in men and if your 50 and over to have a simple blood test called a PSA. This stayed in my mind and months later I was at my Doctors for something else and just asked for it and told them I wanted to be ahead of the game.
Two days later they were ringing back telling me my PSA was 7.1. I did not have a clue what that meant but was reassured it could be nothing but it could not be ignored and further tests would be needed.
After many examinations, an MRI scan and a biopsy I was confirmed with having early prostate cancer. Stage 2 Gleason 7 3+4 . T3A. This all meant that my cancer was contained in the prostate but the T3A means its on the edge of breaking out. Gleason 7 is the scoring. The best metaphor for this is Gleason is a scoring system of how aggressive the cancer is. 6 is very very low 10 is the highest. With my diagnosis, if 10 is a tiger then i am a cat with a few stripes!
I took the surgery route and had my prostate removed on August 4th 2022 using a robotic Di Vinci machine at my local hospital.
I have recovered well ( 7 months post surgery as of this post) There are many short and one long term side effect that i am still battling but hopeful to win those battles. I also have to have a PSA test every 3 months to keep an eye on me. With luck it will not come back.
I decided to make as much awareness for prostate cancer and a UK charity that supported me though all of this called Prostate Cancer UK. I completed a fun run in December dressed as Santa some 17 weeks after surgery. It was just 5K but for me and my poor fitness a total marathon. I ran for Prostate Cancer UK and asked for sponsorship from anyone willing to donate on my YouTube channel. I raised a staggering £2200 for the charity. This was very satisfying for me to do something to give back. My wife and daughter also ran it with me all dressed as Santa!
Prostate Cancer UK were aware of this and as they had teamed up with Rotary to make two watches that Rotary would support the charity with they told Rotary of my fund raising and that I am a watch fan and Rotary gifted me this lovely watch.
The watch represents 1-4. This is a statistic that 1-4 black men will get prostate cancer. 1-8 if you are white. These are shocking statistics and there is no screening program for this disease! so please if you are reading this and over 50 then take one thing away from this. Please get a PSA test and get it done every few years. Catch this early and there are plenty of curative options. Its the one cancer in men they can treat but earlier the better. Take charge of your own health as no one else will.
Link to purchase this watch: Link
