Dave's story
Why I’m running in the London Go Dad Run - Dave Thompson
I had long been aware that I was in a high risk group because my father, his brother and one of my cousins had all developed prostate cancer and from the age of 40 I always had an annual PSA test with my GP.
Fortunately, a mixture of operations and treatment meant my family members were all still with us when I went for my blood test in late September 2014 and, as I had no sign of any symptoms, I was expecting the usual swift confirmation of an all clear.
This time, however, I got a very different reaction and was asked to go in to see my doctor, as my levels were very high. He immediately referred me to a consultant and the path of my life was altered forever.
Roger's story
It was 20 years since I had retired from the Northamptonshire Police force and I was very happily spending time with my family and friends and had rarely stepped back into my previous uniformed world.
That is until April 2014 when I was persuaded to finally attend a regional meeting of the National Association of Retired Police Officers with one of my friends and former colleagues.
As we set off for the venue in Oxford and I prepared myself for a few hours of pleasantly nostalgic small talk, I could not possibly have envisaged that it would turn out to be a day that would change my whole life and my approach to living.
Someone on the platform read a letter to the gathering that had been sent from a former officer. It explained that he was unable to attend because he had recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer and urged that the other men in the room should get themselves checked out as it is especially prevalent in men who are aged 50 and over.