Andrew Somerville – A Year On

It’s been a year since I shared my cancer story and it’s been a rather busy one.

To recap: I was diagnosed with pT3a Nx Mx (Gleason 4+3=7) prostate cancer two years ago. In February 2022, I underwent a nerve-sparing robotic radical prostatectomy by Prof Christopher Eden’s incredible team at The Royal Surrey Hospital.

I was first alerted to potential prostate issues by attending one of PCaSO’s PSA testing events and, at the tender age of 43, did not expect a “red notification” showing an elevated PSA level of 12.4 ng/ml. As I had no symptoms, and given the seriousness of my diagnosis, had it not been for PCaSO, things would certainly have turned out much worse for me.

So, to help say thank you, I decided to do some fundraising for the charity, which consisted of a 60-mile hike across Devon and Somerset (The Coleridge Way) with my brother in July 2022. We raised over £3,000 and, I like to think, helped raise awareness of the importance of PSA testing, particularly amongst younger men.

As the fundraising hike in 2022 went so well, we thought we’d do another one, this time hiking 10 peaks and 10 waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons. We did this in September 2023 over the course of three rather wet days. Although the hikes were fairly challenging, the rain didn’t dampen our spirits and it did help to make the waterfalls all the more impressive. The excellent Welsh hospitality helped a lot, and I highly recommend visiting this beautiful part of Wales for anyone wanting to get away from it all.

We raised £500 for PCaSO and I was delighted when Brian Holden advised me that the money we raised was spent on providing 500 water bottles for men undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Before having radiotherapy treatment, men have to drink between 500 ml and one litre of water, which helps to push the bladder away from the prostate to minimise radiation damage to the bladder. Plastic, single-use cups had previously been used; now, the attractive, branded PCaSO biodegradable bottles are used instead, saving thousands of cups from going to landfill.

I am pleased to say that, nearly two years after surgery, no further treatment has been required to date and my PSA levels remain undetectable. My next PSA test is this spring and, if this comes back clear, I’ve been told that the chances of the cancer returning will drop significantly. Additionally, any side effects from the surgery are negligible and have little to no effect on my daily life.

I’ve continued with my three main lifestyle changes: diet (I’m now mostly plant-based, with very little processed sugar, alcohol or any of the really fun stuff!); fitness (I train fanatically in martial arts and yoga); and, finally, trying to live as stress-free a life as possible—which is easier said than done!