13 March 2024 , 00:02
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Nick Owen has urged more men to get tested for prostate cancer and not to be scared to talk about it after he faced some emotional conversations with his own sons.
The former breakfast TV host, who shared the TV-am sofa with Anne Diamond, was diagnosed with the disease in 2023 but has been successfully treated. However, the 76-year-old fears his sons could be at risk too. Nick, who is back working after a prostate-specific antigen test a couple of weeks ago showed his cancer has not returned, said: “I’ve been through the middle of it. And I realised that the sooner you get seen the better.
“We had an MRI, there was a hint there was something going on. Then I had a biopsy. And that would tell us that it was really nasty and aggressive. And we need to do something quickly. Telling my children was difficult. I’ve got four children, three are our boys, two in their forties and one in their late thirties, and it was quite emotional.
“Also, as far as the boys [Andy, Tim and Chris] are concerned, it’s a warning because it can be a hereditary thing. I’m very keen for my boys to be extremely on the case. I’ll work on them to go earlier than 50, to be honest, to have the PSA tests. And the message has to be if you have got any hint of a worry, get someone to look at it.”
Nick fears his sons could be at risk too (REX/Shutterstock)One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. Nick has released a new podcast on the subject, with statistics from cancer care specialist GenesisCare showing 79% initially keep silent about symptoms, with one in 10 taking over six months to voice their concern, if they ever do.
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Nick wants more men over 50 to go for tests and to try to break the taboo. Some have written to him to say they got tested after he went public with his diagnosis last year. He said: “It is embarrassing to talk about but there has got to be change, blokes need to talk about it and get tested. Ever since I was 60 I have tried to get a PSA every year if I can.”
He married his second wife, reflexologist Vicki Beevers, in 2020. His children are from his first marriage to Jill Lavery, who he split from on good terms in 2009. Since 1997 he has been one of the lead presenters on BBC Midlands Today. Nick said he is not looking back and intends to keep working there two days a week for as long as he can.
Nick, who had a radical prostatectomy and 25 lymph nodes removed, said: “I still enjoy working, I cannot imagine not doing something journalistic. I’m still an avid devourer of news.
“I don’t like to think of myself as 76, inside I am still a kid.”
Nick Owen is working with GenesisCare to launch the brand new Deadly Silent Podcast. For more information on prostate cancer symptoms and treatment options visit www.genesiscare.com/uk/deadlysilent