Sharon’s Story: Supporting a Partner through Prostate Cancer Research

Sharon’s Story: Supporting a Partner through Prostate Cancer Research

Sharon’s husband, John, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer in early 2023. She shares what it was like to support him through his diagnosis, treatment and research journey.

Initially I found the diagnosis very difficult to accept

I've been married to John for 42 years and we have two children and two grandchildren together. We were all completely shocked by his diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. Doctors told us from the outset the cancer was aggressive, incurable but manageable. Unfortunately, it had already spread into his bones. It was a lot to take on board. 

Remaining positive

Throughout his diagnosis and treatment, John has been amazing. He has been through such a lot including surgery on his back to help with his mobility, a big dose of radiotherapy and several months of chemotherapy. Thankfully, it's allowed him to maintain a normal life – as normal as it gets now. We don't know what the future holds but it’s important that we remain as positive as we can.

Finding out about research

We found out about the research study through the Urology team, and we believe that John's information was passed on to the INFORM study team.

For John, this involved taking regular blood samples. These visits allowed him to build great relationships with staff at the hospital and he enjoyed seeing the familiar faces of the Research team.

The INFORM study is looking at an alternative to tumour biopsy by taking non-invasive blood samples ('liquid biopsy') from patients with advanced cancer, at regular intervals. The blood samples are tested for presence of cancer markers, which we can then use to monitor how patients are respond to therapy, and potentially help to guide future treatment plans.

Benefiting future generations

Participating in research has been very helpful as it's given us the opportunity to talk to a lot of people about our situation. A motivating factor for taking part was the opportunity to benefit other people who are yet to find themselves with a similar diagnosis. We also wanted to do it for future generations, for our son and our grandsons, because we now know Prostate Cancer can be passed on in families. 

Raising awareness

I was equally as keen to be engaged with research as John. I became passionate about raising awareness of Prostate Cancer and the importance of being tested early. I saw the ‘March the Month’ campaign from Prostate UK and thought this was the perfect opportunity. There was a large group of us that walked 11,000 steps a day for the 31 days of March. Together with a friend we raised around £3,000 towards research.

Not an easy subject to talk about

At the start of the year, we made a pledge to talk openly about Prostate Cancer. I appreciate for some men it’s not an easy subject to talk about because it's so personal and they may not be as comfortable talking about their bodies.

One of the biggest challenges for John has been the removal of testosterone. He has injections every three months that stop his body producing testosterone. The psychological side effects saw changes in his character and emotions, and he now tries really hard to be the confident and exuberant man that he once was. It has also impacted our married life. Although this doesn’t bother me, I think it worries John more. I would rather have him here without testosterone than not at all. It's crucial that other people who are heading into this same scenario understand that they're not alone and other people are going through this.

Supporting role

My role during John's illness so far has been very much a support role, and a carer at times. But this is what marriage is about - when you make those vows, you mean them. I feel privileged to have been able to do what I've done for John for the last year, and I know he appreciates it as well.

Our door is always open for future research and I'm very happy to do whatever I can to support that going forward.

Have a story to share?

Have you or your partner taken part in research at North Bristol NHS Trust?

We’d love to hear your story, please email us today: researchcommunications@nbt.nhs.uk