Kingsmead prostate cancer survivor is raising awareness about the disease

Steve has been successfully treated for the cancer after being diagnosed with the disease four years ago.

Following his treatment Steve, from Kingsmead, was keen to increase awareness about a disease which will affect about one in eight men in the UK at some point in their lives.

Since Steve’s diagnosis three of his eight brothers have also been diagnosed with the cancer, but Steve said the outlook for them was positive because they were diagnosed early.

Steve had his prostate removed as part of his treatment, and gives talks about the cancer in his role as a volunteer for the Prostate Cancer UK charity.

He gives talks to the public, clubs and employees, and is inviting any groups who would like him to speak to them to contact him.

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, and is on course to become the most commons of all the cancers in the UK,” said Steve, who was the director of pensions and savings at construction company Vinci PLC.

“I put my name forward as a volunteer for Prostate Cancer UK because I wanted to do something to help.

“Everyone knows about breast cancer, and most men know about testicular cancer, but we need to raise awareness about prostate cancer, which is a much more difficult cancer to talk about.

“The earlier prostate cancer is caught the better, and once people have more knowledge about it they can begin to do something about it.”

Steve gives an average of two awareness talks a month, and gave a series of talks spread over three weeks to employees at Knutsford-based thermoplastics firm Albis UK.

Steve thanked the company for its £250 donation to Prostate Cancer UK.

The talks Steve gives are free, and anyone who is interested in having a talk can email him at steveellis100@gmail.com

According to the Prostate Cancer UK website men aged 50 or over, men with a family history of prostate cancer and black men are more at risk of developing the disease.