0:00:08 > 0:00:10My dad's very special.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12He's been taking me to football matches
0:00:12 > 0:00:14since I was seven.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Seeing Millwall lose is still a good day out!
0:00:17 > 0:00:20I'd hoped that we'd go to lots of Millwall matches
0:00:20 > 0:00:23but obviously now we can't because he's, um...ill.
0:00:25 > 0:00:26I take it in my stride
0:00:26 > 0:00:29because Millwall fans are meant to be tough.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35When you're a kid, you believe your dad will always be around
0:00:35 > 0:00:36to look after you.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40But there is a disease that only men can get, which can be fatal.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45And an incredible one in eight of men will end up with it.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47I'm talking about prostate cancer.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I know because I've had it myself.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54My cancer was discovered by a routine medical examination.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59I was lucky, it was caught early, which meant I got treatment in time.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00But many men aren't so fortunate,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02and over the next few minutes,
0:01:02 > 0:01:06I want to show you how you can do something really, really important
0:01:06 > 0:01:08to help combat this terrible disease.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11William's dad, Brian, was 49
0:01:11 > 0:01:15when he started to notice some unusual symptoms.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Having to use the toilet more often, bit more tired during the day,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and to be quite on honest, I didn't think too much of it at first.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I don't like going to GPs at the best of times,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28but now I wish I went a lot earlier.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Once it was clear that his symptoms weren't going away,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Brian's wife persuaded him to see the doctor.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37The news wasn't good.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39It was prostate cancer.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Your head's all over the place.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44I've got a young son to bring up.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47You really are mixed up, basically, really mixed up.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51The only people I'd heard of with prostate cancer was old people.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Because of the late diagnosis,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Brian's cancer had already spread to his bones.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00He was told that it was terminal.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Well, obviously you're scared of dying, aren't you?
0:02:03 > 0:02:08I mean, you don't want to go and leave a young son and wife.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09So that is what you are scared of.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11So then you fight against that.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Thankfully, there is a charity, whose purpose is to support
0:02:18 > 0:02:22men like Brian and me who find out they have this awful disease.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24It's called Prostate Cancer UK,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and its goal is to make more people aware of the disease
0:02:27 > 0:02:30and to fund vital research into tests and treatments,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32which could save thousands of lives.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37All men are at risk of getting prostate cancer,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41but one particular group is at double the risk, Black men.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Errol McKellar is a car mechanic from the East End of London.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49I've been fixing cars for 40 years.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52If there's a problem with your car
0:02:52 > 0:02:54it's best you get it looked at straightaway,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57because the longer you leave it the bigger the problem is.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Bit like health, really.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Three years ago, Errol took himself to his GP's surgery
0:03:03 > 0:03:06after his wife complained about his snoring.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09While he was waiting he noticed some information
0:03:09 > 0:03:11left by Prostate Cancer UK.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16I picked up a leaflet that was on the table and started to read it.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18I then said to the receptionist,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20"How long will it take to do this test?"
0:03:20 > 0:03:22And she said, "Ten minutes."
0:03:22 > 0:03:25That ten minutes changed my life.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31When the test results came through, they were a complete shock to Errol.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Despite not being aware of any symptoms, he had prostate cancer.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41What the doctors said to me is that my prostate was covered in cancer.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44He said, "Look, if we don't remove this prostate
0:03:44 > 0:03:46"you will be dead in six months."
0:03:46 > 0:03:49I just broke down. I literally just broke down.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51I was distraught, and I was in tears.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55And you know, I'm not ashamed to admit I cried.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Errol went for surgery and had his entire prostate removed,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02followed by months of chemotherapy.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04A period of great uncertainty.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09'You imagine going into a room with no light.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10'That is what it felt like to me.'
0:04:10 > 0:04:14It felt as if someone had pulled the plug on me.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19You know? It was, it was a very difficult period.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21The treatment was a success.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Errol is cancer free, but the side affects
0:04:24 > 0:04:28of having your prostate removed can be hard to live with.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33I have a numbness in the lower part of my body.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36I am a young person, a very active person
0:04:36 > 0:04:40and certain tools of your trade that are taken away from you
0:04:40 > 0:04:43become very difficult to deal with.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47But I'm alive. I will take whatever bonus that I have got.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Prostate cancer affects so many of us men
0:04:51 > 0:04:5440,000 are diagnosed with it each year.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56And too many of those men
0:04:56 > 0:05:00are diagnosed too late to stop the disease in its tracks.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03As with most cancers, the earlier you detect it,
0:05:03 > 0:05:04the better your chances are.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08And that's why Prostate Cancer UK wants to raise millions
0:05:08 > 0:05:12for research to work out how to spot it as early as possible.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17We have great difficulty at the moment deciding whether
0:05:17 > 0:05:22the cancer is aggressive, a tiger, or nonaggressive, a pussy cat.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24And that's one of the major challenges of research
0:05:24 > 0:05:27is to be able to differentiate the tigers from the pussycats
0:05:27 > 0:05:30because it will make a difference to the treatment and man gets.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35So, a diagnostic test that is accurate would be a fantastic
0:05:35 > 0:05:39start in order to bring men into receiving better treatment
0:05:39 > 0:05:42for the disease, and therefore a better outcome.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Such research is expensive
0:05:45 > 0:05:49and depends on Prostate Cancer UK's funding to continue.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52But if a successful testing regime can be developed
0:05:52 > 0:05:55that pinpoints the men most at risk as early as possible,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57then men like Errol could be left with fewer
0:05:57 > 0:05:59life-changing symptoms after treatment.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04If I turned the clock back, would I have dealt with it differently?
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Yes, I would, but I didn't know anything.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Now he's been given a second lease of life,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Errol is dedicated to spreading the word about prostate cancer
0:06:13 > 0:06:15in the hope that he can save lives.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18I preach every day.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I tell the male customers when they come in,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I say, "Listen, go and get your prostate checked.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26"If you come back and show me you have had it checked
0:06:26 > 0:06:30"I will give you a 20% discount on the repairs of your car."
0:06:30 > 0:06:34You need to go and get yourself checked once a year.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Treat it as if it is an MOT on your body.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40And for Brian and his family, Prostate Cancer UK
0:06:40 > 0:06:44is able to offer more immediate support as the disease progresses.
0:06:46 > 0:06:47They have trained nurses.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50They're there at the end of the phone, basically,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and they have been a big, big help.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55A big part of our lives for the last year.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Despite living with terminal cancer,
0:06:59 > 0:07:03the charity has helped Brian and his family stay positive.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I've got a young son to bring up, that's what get's you through it.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08You've got to be strong, keep going,
0:07:08 > 0:07:09and just don't give up.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I've helped Prostate Cancer UK all I can.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15I've been doing fundraising.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18I hope that they will find a cure,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21so that other families don't have to go through
0:07:21 > 0:07:24what me and my family have been through.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Prostate Cancer is on the increase.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29By 2030, it's set to be
0:07:29 > 0:07:30the most common of all cancers
0:07:30 > 0:07:31in the UK.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33We have to do something now
0:07:33 > 0:07:35to try and turn the tide.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Research into treatments and testing has been chronically underfunded,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41but we need to continue this work
0:07:41 > 0:07:45if we want to reduce the number of men dying too soon.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46You can make a difference right now,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50by donating generously to Prostate Cancer UK.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Please go to the website:
0:07:54 > 0:07:56where you can donate.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00If you haven't got internet access please call 0800 011 011.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04And if you can't get through the first time please keep trying.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Telephone calls are free from most landlines.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Some networks and mobile operators will charge for these calls.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15You can also donate £10 by texting DONATE to 70121.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Texts cost £10 plus your standard network message charge
0:08:18 > 0:08:21and the whole £10 goes to Prostate Cancer UK.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Full terms and conditions can be found at bbc.co.uk/lifeline
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Or if you'd like to post a donation,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31please make your cheque payable to Prostate Cancer UK
0:08:31 > 0:08:34and send it to Freepost, BBC Lifeline Appeal,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38writing Prostate Cancer UK on the back of the envelope.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41And if you want the charity to claim Gift Aid on your donation,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43please include an e-mail or postal address
0:08:43 > 0:08:45so that they can send you a Gift Aid form.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Thank you.