Torbay Prostate Support Association

 

    Symptoms     Diagnostic Test     Compare Treatments     Self Help     TPSA Buddies     Patients Experiences     Internet Resources

 

Home       Get Involved       Make a Donation       Become a Member       Become a Volunteer       Forthcoming Events

 

    Helplines     Trustees and Helpers     TPSA Story     News     Newsletters     Contact Us     Site Map     Disclaimer

Home. Contact Us. Who we are. What We Do. Detection. Diagnosed. Site Map.
David Wakefield


I am married and live in Newton Abbot with my wife. Pat. We have a son, a daughter and two granddaughters and one grandson. Andrew and his family live in Canada. Christine and her family live in Newton Abbot but are considering a move to Canada to join her brother.

 I retired from the RAF after 21 years in the Physical Education Branch having been commissioned from the ranks. I was fortunate enough to serve in France, Germany, Cyprus and North Wales.  I was also fortunate enough to represent England at athletics, the RAF at cricket and athletics and played semi-professional football in the Midland League for three years. I also qualified as a Ski Instructor and was Senior Instructor at the RAF Germany ski school at Oberammergau for three years.
After all that sport it was quite a surprise that I had to trouble my doctor because I was visiting the toilet to many times during the night.  I thought I had diabetes. My sister is a chronic diabetic and I assumed that it was hereditary.  It was not diabetes but I was fortunate enough to have a doctor who was not afraid, as some doctors are, of the PSA test.
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few weeks later, but it was in its early stages and, after some deliberation with my wife, we decided that the radical prostatectomy route was the best.

Ten years later I am still very active, enjoying at least two games of golf a week throughout the year, exercising two border collies twice a day, and trying to keep up with a teenage granddaughter.
I found out about prostate cancer by accident, but if we can create a greater awareness of prostate cancer and encourage more men to ask their doctor for a PSA test, many more people will be diagnosed early enough to have the same fortunate brush with cancer that I had.