Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – Keith’s story
Date of release: 31 March 2025
A retired engineer who has recovered from prostate cancer is urging men over 45 to get themselves tested for the disease.
Keith promoting Prostate Cancer UK
Grandad Keith Davies, 74, is back to running twice a week, walking up to seven kilometres daily and playing walking football after receiving the all clear from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT).
All a far cry from a year ago when he was receiving daily radiotherapy to remove prostate cancer.
A PSA test score of five at a Lions Club International charity event in 2020 marked Keith as borderline to be monitored. A PSA test is a blood test to check for the risk of prostate cancer.
In 2022 he was referred to his GP then to Mr Pete Cooke, Consultant Urological Surgeon at New Cross Hospital, part of RWT, when his score rose again.
By March 2023 it had increased again and an MRI scan also gave cause for concern.
A biopsy in May 2023 confirmed cancer, and he was told he had a low to intermediate type of prostate cancer.
“The key was catching it early,” said Keith, who has two grown-up daughters with wife Isabel.
“I had three options – a prostatectomy (prostate removal), active surveillance (regular blood tests) and radiotherapy. I was advised to go on active surveillance.
“I didn’t want the cancer to break out of the capsule, affect my lymph nodes and get into my bones. So I pushed for radiotherapy as my PSA was increasing with velocity.
“I was referred to Oncology in December 2023. I had my first hormone tablet that same day followed by a hormone injection three weeks later, every three months.”
Three months later, Keith underwent 20 rounds of radiotherapy. Symptoms are tiredness, visiting the loo more often and sweating.
But within a month of completing radiotherapy he had returned to running 5k and daily walks.
Hormone treatment continued to reduce his testosterone levels, which feeds the cancer. He had his last injection in October 2024 and his PSA is now undetectable.
“I’m 90-95 per cent back to how I was,” he said. “I think it’s important for all men over 45 to get tested. It’s only a simple blood test.”
Keith is indebted to the staff who treated him, adding: “Pete Cooke was very helpful, calm and collected and the Radiologists were brilliant and patient.
“Jenny Akins (Urology Advanced Nurse Practitioner) was very helpful, showing me graphs so I could understand why I was referred for a biopsy.
“Prostate Cancer UK sent me booklets on request which have been brilliant, explaining every aspect of the treatment.”
Possible signs of prostate cancer can include:- An increased need to pee, especially at night
- Post-void dribbling: Feeling that the bladder is not completely emptied, leading to residual dribbling
- Weak or interrupted urine stream
