When Andy McInnis’s active dad Lloyd began to suffer from niggling back pain, he put it down to overdoing his regular sessions at the gym. When the pain didn’t go away, Lloyd’s concerned wife Elizabeth sought medical advice.
After a series of tests, Lloyd, who was 66 at the time, was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He underwent successful surgery but was later saddened to learn that his five fellow patients on the hospital ward, who he had kept in touch with, had all died of prostate cancer.
“Dad was literally the last man standing and it really upset him,” said Andy, who explained that Lloyd went on to live a full and healthy life for nine years until he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Again, the cancer was caught early, and he went on to thrive for five years, before passing away in March 2024.
Lloyd was born in Jamaica and Andy has since become aware that black men are at a higher risk of prostate cancer. He is now supporting a West Yorkshire-based campaign to raise awareness.
‘Don’t Be the One’ highlights that one in four black men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives. They are twice as likely to get prostate cancer than other men who have a one in eight chance of getting the disease.
Each year around 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 12,000 men will die from the cancer.
You may also be more likely to get prostate cancer as a black man if:
- You are aged 45 or over – and your risk increases as you get older
- Your father or brother has had it
- Your mother or sister has had breast cancer
The campaign was launched by Phil James, founder of Kam’s Corner CIC, which is committed to tackling inequalities, with support from charity Yorkshire Cancer Community.
Unlike some cancers, prostate cancer has no screening programme. Charity Prostate Cancer UK’s website Prostate Cancer UK has an in-depth focus on black men and prostate cancer. It explains the risks and suggests talking to your GP about your risk of prostate cancer. You can also ask them about having a PSA test, which is a blood test which can help to diagnose prostate cancer.
Orchid, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to supporting men and their families who are affected by male-specific cancers gives the following advice:
National UK guidelines state that any man over the age of 50 is entitled to have a PSA blood test, provided they understand the benefits and disadvantages of the results or their implications.
Because of the higher risk, it has been suggested that black men should discuss the possibility of having a PSA blood test with their GP earlier, around the age of 45.
Andy added: “Because of what happened to my dad and the higher risk of black men getting prostate cancer I was keen to get involved in this campaign.
“I’m aware that with many of the men I know, they often don’t want to talk about things like this and they may not want some of the tests involved such as a rectal examination. But there are alternatives methods to this.
“I would say to men, even if you don’t do it for yourself, you owe it to your loved ones to get yourself checked.”
