A chance conversation following a game of walking football may just have saved the life of a Clitheroe dad-of-two.

Peter Ward, 65, who retired from Johnson Matthey’s Clitheroe works as its engineering stores manager after a 26-year career at the company, has donated £3,267.09 to charity Rosemere Cancer Foundation to thank the centre for the treatment he received following a shock diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Peter said: “I’m football mad and after retiring, I began playing walking football two or three times a week.

“After a game, we have a cup of tea in the sports pavilion, and one day, some of the lads were chatting about PSA testing.

“I admitted I had no idea what they were talking about, but they explained it was to do with testing for prostate cancer.

“I had my annual ‘Well Man’ MOT a couple of weeks later, and so I asked the nurse if I could have a PSA blood test, which she did for me.

“That was on the Monday morning. Tuesday morning, I had a call from the health centre asking me to come in.”

At the health centre, Peter was told that his PSA level was abnormally high and he was referred for further tests under the suspected cancer two-week wait rule.

Peter said: “A normal PSA level for a man of my age is up to 4.7 ng/mL. Mine was 93.7 ng/mL, but I had no symptoms whatsoever.

“People have since asked me how many times I was up in the night to go to the toilet, but I wasn’t.

“Thankfully, after various scans, the consultant told me that my prostate cancer was just confined to the prostate itself, so it hadn’t spread.

“My prognosis was therefore good. My treatment started with hormonal injections after which I had to go to Rosemere Cancer Centre for 20 sessions of radiotherapy.”

A chance conversation following a game of walking football may just have saved the life of a Clitheroe dad-of-two.
Peter Ward, 65, who retired from Johnson Matthey’s Clitheroe works as its engineering stores manager after a 26-year career at the company, has donated £3,267.09 to charity Rosemere Cancer Foundation to thank the centre for the treatment he received following a shock diagnosis of prostate cancer. — Pic credit: Rosemere

Peter said: “Before I began my radiotherapy, I received an invitation to attend an open morning at the centre, which was great as it took away a lot of the fear.

“The open mornings are funded by Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

“Having gone to the open morning, I knew when I went back for treatment that I was going to somewhere with a friendly, calm, warm and welcoming atmosphere – not the scary place you imagine it to be.

“I decided I wanted to give back by walking 20 miles from the centre to Clitheroe to help fund future open mornings.

“My plan was to do the walk solo but then my son Joseph said he wanted to walk with me, my daughter Kate said the same, and in the end, 17 family members accompanied me on what was one of the most emotional days of my life.”

Peter, who following treatment has received the all clear, added: “We walked past BAE Systems in Samlesbury.

“We all had special walk t-shirts on and a collection bucket for donations from passers-by. My wife Maxine was our back-up driver. My sister arranged lunch for us all at Osbaldeston Church before we continued along the A59 into Whalley.

“From there, my eight-year-old grandson Ruben walked with us to the finish at the School Rooms in Clitheroe. I can’t thank people enough for all their support.

“We have a walking football team WhatsApp group, and after posting about my diagnosis, I know of at least four more players who have had PSA testing, two of whom have had to have treatment. My message to all men of a certain age is to get checked.”

Fundraising assistant for Rosemere Cancer Foundation, Hannah Leahy, said: “Our thanks to Peter and everyone who has supported him for this wonderful donation, which will help enable us to keep funding our radiotherapy open mornings for new patients and their families.

“We are also very grateful to Peter for talking about his diagnosis and treatment. The conversations he is now starting might just save another man’s life.”

Source: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/26153892.chance-conversation-may-saved-clitheroe-dads-life/