Lincs farmer urges prostate cancer checks after scare

Lincolnshire arable farmer Andrew Ward used his final meeting as an NFU council member to urge farmers to take prostate cancer seriously and seek early testing.

Mr Ward, an arable farmer from Leadenham, Lincolnshire, addressed NFU council members at their quarterly meeting in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

He described his recent experiences with prostate cancer scares and warned that many men are putting their health at risk by delaying checks.

Speaking openly, Mr Ward said he had experienced two prostate cancer scares during the past year, one in April and another shortly before Christmas. 

See also: Farm Doctor: Let’s talk about prostate and testicular cancer

He said his local doctors and the NHS had been “brilliant” and they continue to monitor him with regular PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood tests.

“Please guys, 50 and above, go to the doctor’s and get your blood checked and insist on it,” he told the meeting on Tuesday 27 January.

Andrew Ward addresses NFU Council meeting © MAG/Philip Case

Alarming statistics

Mr Ward, who is leaving NFU council after six years, said current figures show that one in eight men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and that many men are living with the disease without realising it.

He explained that while prostate cancer can often be treated successfully if caught early and contained within the prostate, outcomes become far more serious if it spreads to the bones.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with about 64,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Risk increases significantly with age, particularly for men over 50.

The issue is of particular relevance to the farming community, where the average age of a UK farmer is close to 60.

This means a large proportion of farmers fall into the highest-risk age group for prostate cancer, yet health checks are often delayed because of workload, access to services or reluctance to seek medical advice.

Mr Ward told the meeting his PSA level had risen well above the national reference level and that he is due to have another blood test in the coming weeks.

He urged farmers not to ignore potential warning signs or postpone tests. “Do not sit back on it. It’s really important,” he said.

Take responsibility – Bradshaw

His remarks were met with warm applause from NFU council members.

Commenting on Mr Ward’s address, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the message was an important one for the whole farming industry.

“We do have to look after ourselves,” he said. “We’ve got a responsibility to everybody else, and we have to make sure that we all take care of ourselves where we can.”