"I knew I'd got a prostate - I just didn't know much about it"

Colin Kidby, 67, from Newport Pagnell, had little idea about prostate cancer or its symptoms – until he picked up one of our information leaflets. It probably saved his life.

"I looked down the list of symptoms in the leaflet – getting up in the night, problems with going to the toilet – and mentally I ticked this, ticked that, ticked this.

I knew I’d got a prostate – I just didn’t know much about it! So next time I saw my doctor, I got him to do a PSA blood test for me. That’s when I found out I’d got prostate cancer. I went through all the biopsy procedures and other tests. It wasn’t pleasant, but it’s got to be done.

In the end I had radiotherapy. Now I have check ups, but basically it’s good news. I know if I hadn’t picked up one of the Charity’s leaflets, I would never have realised I had a problem.

Now I just get on with life. I’ve had prostate cancer. It’s treated. It’s happened. I say to people: if you’ve got concerns it’s not worth being frightened, get some advice, just find out."

An information leaflet saved Colin Kidby’s life. There are many opportunities for sponsoring the wide range of information we give to men and their families.

The Worshipful Company of Innholders is one of many donors who helped us produce the Tool Kit – a flexible information pack for men living with prostate cancer. They gave £2,000 towards the pack which can be updated and tailored to individual needs. Last year we sent Tool Kits to more than 7,000 men.

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