"I would have probably just left it," the retired motor mechanic and gardener from Petrockstow, Torridge, confessed.

Brian seen minor changes to his urinary habits and had developed a backache.

Once Carol satisfied him to see the physician in September 2020, Brian was despatched for an pressing scan resulting from a household historical past of cancer.

"I was very lucky with my wife, Carol, who pushed and pushed," Brian stated.

Brian had a cancerous tumour in his prostate, a walnut-sized gland that types a part of the male reproductive system.

Diagnosed with prostate most cancers, Brian was first put beneath energetic surveillance.

However, as soon as the tumour began to develop in dimension, NHS therapy was supplied - each radiotherapy and a radical prostatectomy (surgical procedure).

Together, after speaking to the medical consultants, Brian and Carol determined to go forward with proton remedy, a kind of radiotherapy.

While there are two proton remedy centres in England – one in Manchester and one in London – neither of them deal with prostate most cancers.

Thus, Brian received in touch with Proton Therapy UK, which treats UK sufferers privately at a facility in Prague, Czech Republic.

The couple stayed within the metropolis for simply over three weeks; throughout that point, Brian had 5 rounds of therapy.

Brian stated: "I’m grateful that I can spend time with my family, including my grandchildren.

"If I didn’t get issues sorted then these alternatives won't be right here.

"I play football and tennis with my grandchildren all the time and I’m fortunate I can enjoy their company."

Brian added: "I live for every day and have started to learn the guitar, all the things I have wanted to do but have put off.

"We now attempt to seize each alternative we’ve received, in a means we in all probability wouldn’t have achieved earlier than."

Brian also raised awareness about prostate cancer in the village he lives in.

"What I inform my pals and other people across the village is, go and get your self checked after which take it from there."