Story
NOT ANOTHER REQUEST FOR MONEY FROM MARTIN! PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
- Stephen Fry, Martin and the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal
- Prostate cancer is a preventable disease and yet 11,000 men still die every year.
- A simple PSA blood test when men are 45+ can dramatically cut that statistic
- PCRC are driving incredible research in prevention and treatment of this horrendous disease
- Stephen Fry will be reading the PCRC's BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (and I get a mention!)
- Stephen Fry has also interviewed me about my journey with cancer and you can hear it here: https://www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk/appeal/the-stephen-martin-appeal
- I have made sure my final years have been filled with fun and family, and you can watch a bit of that here too – we've done a bit more than sit on a beach! https://www.behance.net/martinpdald99e
- Listen to the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal on 16th December at 07:55 or 21:26. And again on 20th December at 15:27
This request for donations is a bit different.
To explain, I need to be brutally honest with you all.
Sadly, my time with prostate cancer is running out. I am told I now have little chance of making it beyond November. Don't worry, that's not a goal, it's a medical guideline and I am going to try and beat it.
I have been close to the Prostate Cancer Research Centre charity since the early days of my diagnosis. Their funding is very focused on channeling maximum funds to the research they support, and they also target some of the most innovative and modern developments, such as immunotherapy.
This year, PCRC have been honoured with a slot on the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal, a prestigious appeal that has been broadcast now for some 90 years. To support PCRC, polymath and all round thoroughly nice guy, Stephen Fry, has agreed to read the appeal, which will be broadcast on 16th and 20th December 2018.
Stephen Fry has prostate cancer. He has suffered the pain and anxiety of hearing his diagnosis and enduring his treatment. In his case, he was fortunate enough to discover his cancer early and has hopefully completed his life-saving treatment.
As you may know, my story is different. My cancer was discovered too late, but both Stephen and I want, and need, to raise the awareness of prostate cancer and the need for all men over 45 to get tested routinely.
The BBC Christmas Appeal is aimed at that and Stephen Fry will also talk about my journey with prostate cancer over the past four years. I haven't sat still!
Since being diagnosed, I have gathered my family and travelled across the Namibian desert, witnessed an elephant funeral, climbed mountains, dog-sledded across Greenland, filmed polar bears in Svalbard, explored Iceland, flown a Spitfire and... OK, just have a look at some pretty photographs and a few videos in the link above instead, they're more fun!
And to mark my journey, I was also privileged to be interviewed by Stephen Fry and this can be heard on PCRC's website, where they are also raising their own Stephen and Martin Appeal.
With all of the appeals underway, please don't get confused. Whichever one you donate to, ALL the money goes to PCRC and no-where else.
In these final weeks, climbing stairs is a challenge but I will continue to work with PCRC.
The BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal will not be launched until after I am gone unfortunately, which is why I have taken the liberty of raising this page, so those of you who know me, or just wish to help fight this hideous disease, can have an opportunity to donate now, in case you miss the broadcast in December.
So please, please help. No man needs to die of prostate cancer, it is a treatable cancer if it is caught early and yet 11,000 men die of it every year. It has now become and even bigger killer than breast cancer. Help us raise awareness of the very simple PSA blood test that all men above 45 should insist on. Donate money to the simply amazing research PCRC are supporting. Help us get to grips with prostate cancer.
Help us. Please.