OilVoice - Cancer Patient Gets on His Bike For UCAN

Cancer Patient Gets on His Bike For UCAN

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A prostate cancer patient is to cycle from Aberdeen to Edinburgh to raise money for UCAN, the urological cancer charity which supported him after his diagnosis.

Patrick Tawse (54), a drilling upgrades project manager at Apache North Sea Ltd, will get on his bike to pedal the 130 miles in July, with the aim of raising £100 per mile - a total target of £13,000.

The father-of-three was told he had prostate cancer two years ago, after being advised by a work colleague to ask his doctor to check his Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level, which can be used as an indicator of prostate cancer.

Despite having almost no symptoms, the simple blood test showed that Patrick did have prostate cancer - but the early diagnosis meant he was able to be treated with surgery instead of radio or chemotherapy.

“My colleague John Smyth already had prostate cancer and he recommended that I have the test when I was at the doctor anyway. The PSA check hopefully saved my life ultimately, as it turned out I had prostate cancer, despite the fact I had virtually no symptoms,” said Patrick.

“I was fortunate enough to avoid chemotherapy and underwent an operation. However, I went on a personal journey that extended way beyond the surgery, and as well as helping me with the side effects, UCAN was there to support me through the emotional issues, which can be more difficult to deal with than the clinical aspect of treatment.

“I promised UCAN and my colleague John, who is still undergoing his own treatment, that I will spread the word about prostate cancer. The bike ride is a good way of raising awareness of this disease and the importance of early diagnosis, while also raising money to support other patients who are going through what I did.”

Patrick had hoped to run a marathon but after slipping a disc in his back, decided on the cycle challenge instead.

On Saturday, July 11 he will set off from Aberdeen railway station, bound for Waverley Station in Edinburgh, which he expects will take around 10 hours - and approximately 18,000 calories!

Patrick will be accompanied by another colleague, Graham Bell, and is now busy training for the trip, regularly cycling up Deeside on a new racing bike that was donated by Odfjell Drilling.

He added: “I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me so far, but particularly my employers at Apache North Sea Ltd, who have donated thousands of pounds to UCAN already, and Odfjell Drilling, who have kindly supplied my bike.

”I am determined to do this cycle as a way of giving back to UCAN as a thank you for all the charity has done for me, and hopefully helping other people by raising awareness of prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular cancers.”

UCAN’s fundraising manager Kate Synott added: “Patrick’s story is a great example of how early diagnosis can make a difference to men with prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men in the UK, with 200 cases in the North-east every year.

“Although Patrick had almost no symptoms, the signs can include difficulty passing urine, inability to urinate, passing urine often - particularly at night - weak or interrupted urine flow, pain when urinating, blood in the urine and pain in the lower back, hips and upper thighs.

“In around half of patients, the cancer is not diagnosed until it is advanced and has spread, but in the other half the cancer is detected at an early stage and treatment is successful for nine out of 10 of these cases.

“We wish Patrick all the best in his challenge and he can be assured that all the money he raises will directly help other patients and their families to come to terms with a cancer diagnosis.”

UCAN was established in late 2005 to raise awareness of urological cancers and raise £2.6million to support patients and their families.

The first of its kind in Scotland, the UCAN Care Centre at Ward 44 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary celebrated its first anniversary in January, but the fundraising campaign is ongoing, with plans to improve other parts of the ward and clinical areas.

The modern and welcoming centre is manned by staff who are on hand to give advice to patients on all aspects of dealing with cancer.

The facility includes a private clinicians’ room which opens out into an area with comfortable chairs, tea and coffee making facilities, fully equipped computers with internet access, an online forum, literature on urological cancers and the treatment on offer and plasma screens showing informative DVDs.

• To support Patrick, visit http://www.justgiving.com/patricktawse or for more information on UCAN, go to www.ucanhelp.org.uk or call 01224 559312.