## Welsh Councillor’s Unexpected Cancer Diagnosis Spurs Awareness Campaign
A Welsh councillor who considered himself the picture of good health has revealed his shock after being told he had incurable, advanced prostate cancer, despite experiencing no symptoms at all. Guy Woodham, 56, from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, now hopes his story will encourage men across Wales to prioritise routine checks and testing for one of the UK’s most common—and often silent—cancers.
Woodham’s journey began in a manner familiar to many: following a routine appointment, his GP recommended what he described as a “bit of an MOT”—general health tests more associated with prevention than diagnosis. To Guy’s astonishment, his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels came back raised, prompting further examination by a urologist. What started as a routine check-up ended in a devastating diagnosis. He was told the cancer was already at stage four and had spread to his bones, making it incurable.
Recalling the moment, Guy explains: “At most, I braced myself to hear that surgery might be needed, but I was completely unprepared to be told the cancer had become advanced and untreatable. I had absolutely no warning signs—I felt perfectly healthy.” The shock of being diagnosed without any noticeable symptoms is a story that echoes that of Sir Chris Hoy, the former Olympic cyclist, highlighting how serious illnesses can progress undetected.
Since his diagnosis, Guy has devoted much of his energy to promoting prostate cancer awareness, participating in events such as Prostate Cymru’s Big Walk and speaking out on the need for earlier and more reliable testing. “There is currently no national screening programme. Some GPs are reluctant to offer the PSA test due to its imperfect reliability. However, at the moment it’s pretty much the only tool at our disposal,” he notes.
Prostate cancer has earned the moniker ‘the silent killer’ precisely because it can reach advanced stages before symptoms emerge. The lack of an organised screening process leaves many men at risk, unaware of their vulnerability. “My message is simple,” Guy says, “You might feel fine—but that doesn’t mean you should ignore your prostate health. Don’t wait for symptoms. Speak to your GP, or attend a testing event if you can.”
Prostate Cymru, in collaboration with local clubs and volunteers, is currently running a tour across Wales, aiming to test 3,000 men for prostate cancer, with their next event scheduled at Narberth RFC on June 1. Over 1,400 men have already been tested, and 90 have received urgent ‘red alerts’ advising them to see their doctor for further assessment. Prostate Cymru hopes that stories like Guy’s will improve early detection rates and ultimately save lives.
“I hope my experience has helped at least one man catch this disease at an early, treatable stage,” says Guy. Despite the seriousness of his diagnosis, he remains positive and is responding well to hormone treatment. “Thankfully, I don’t have any symptoms and barely notice side effects from my current treatment,” he adds. Last year, he led a team of over twenty people on the charity’s Big Walk, collectively raising more than £10,000 for Prostate Cymru’s work.
The charity is urging men aged 50 or over—lowered to 45 for those with a family history or who are black, given higher risk factors—to take advantage of testing opportunities. The campaign is not without its challenges: offering 3,000 tests across Wales carries a cost of over £100,000, which Prostate Cymru is meeting with the help of sponsors and charitable donations from those tested.
Tina Tew, spokesperson for the charity, highlights ongoing difficulties some men face in accessing the PSA test: “Many eligible men report problems arranging a GP appointment or even being refused the test. If we can make the process easier, more men will seek the test, which could transform outcomes.” At each event, clinical staff including nurses and consultants are available to discuss PSA testing and subsequent steps with participants.
The Narberth event will be the sixth in the charity’s series, and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive—both from men identified as needing check-ups and from those reassured by negative results. Further events are planned, with Aberystwyth RFC due to host a testing day on June 8 and organisers hoping to include a North Wales location in the future.
For men wanting to register for a test, Prostate Cymru can be contacted directly via email or through their website. Guy’s story serves as a sobering reminder: regular health checks can, and do, save lives—even for those who feel they are in perfect health. The campaign continues with the hope that no-one will go undiagnosed through lack of awareness or opportunity.