Patient stories
Find out about the impact our work has on patients.
“Abiraterone gave my husband time to live life to the full” - Sue's story
Sue’s husband, Philip, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005 and died on Christmas Day 2009, aged 57. 16 years on, she reflects on the legacy he left behind.
“I shouldn’t be here – but thanks to research, I am” – Richard’s prostate cancer story
Richard Ware, 56, was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2022. Last December, he was told that it had spread to his brain. Following his diagnosis, Richard found out that he carries the BRCA2 gene mutation and for the past 10 months he has been treated with olaparib, the development of which was underpinned by research at the ICR.
“I feel lucky to be here. You cannot put a price on your life” - Phil’s prostate cancer story
Phil Kissi, 68, was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in 2006. Thanks to early diagnosis and successful surgery, he has no evidence of disease today. He explains why greater awareness around prostate cancer and scientific advances make him feel confident about the future.
“Developments that will enable early diagnosis of prostate cancer are vital” – Gilly’s story
Gilly Morgan, 60, was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in 2014 at the age of 49. Fortunately, it was caught early and thanks to successful treatment, he has been living well ever since. Eleven years on, he reveals why he has made it his mission to raise awareness around prostate cancer, particularly among the Black community.
“Being involved in a clinical trial saved my life” – Tony’s story
Tony McHale, a screenwriter, was invited to take part in the IMPACT study in 2012, an international clinical trial offering regular screening for men at increased risk of prostate cancer. Around 18 months later, he was diagnosed with the disease at the age of 61. After undergoing intense radiotherapy treatment, he has remained cancer-free ever since.
“New research into prostate cancer will take away people’s fear” – Godfrey’s story
DJ and music promoter, Godfrey Fletcher, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015 at the age of 47, shortly after his father was also diagnosed with the same disease. Since then, Godfrey has made it his mission to raise awareness and advocate for early testing, particularly among black men.
“I found a way to honour my mum’s memory” – Dan’s One More City story
Dan Dale recently joined a team of 37 riders to take on the One More City annual cycling campaign. The four-day challenge this September saw them ride from Pisa to Nice, covering nearly 600km and reaching climbs of 6,000m along the way, all to raise funds for our groundbreaking research into secondary breast cancer. Here, Dan reflects on his experience and his reason to take part…
“Today I pedal with them, tomorrow they will be pedalling alone” – cycling to support secondary breast cancer
Cyclist Chris Clothier reflects on his recent ride from Pisa to Nice as part of the One More City team, raising vital funds for our groundbreaking research into secondary breast cancer.
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