Patient Stories – Greg McKella
Gregg McKella
I would like to share my story of my recent journey with prostate cancer, and
subsequent involvement with the charity PCaSO (Prostate Cancer Support Organisation).
At the time of discovering my condition, I was a 60 year old married man, working for local government, and a singer/songwriter playing in my band, Paradise 9.
My first indication that I might have this cancer was in June 2022. I was having blood tests for the usual things someone my age might have, ie cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and also low testosterone and, as I had got to 60 last year, my doctor suggested that a PSA test should be included.
To be honest, I had no idea what a PSA blood test was for. I didn’t ask at the time.
The result came back and showed that I had a raised PSA level of 5.95, and my doctor advised that this may be an indication of prostate cancer. I was referred to a urologist, who organised an MRI scan, which I had at the Royal Sussex County Hospital on 14th July 2022.
On 24th August, I received the result from the urologist, who confirmed that I had a 12mm lesion at the bottom right side of my prostate, and that I would now need a biopsy to determine how aggressive the tumour was, so as to ascertain the best treatment I should have. I had the biopsy on 6th September at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. I returned there two weeks later, with Kathy, my wife, and spoke to another consultant, who confirmed I had T3a localised advanced prostate cancer, with a Gleason score of 7 (broken down as 3 + 4).