The day Tauranga man Mike Lane found out he had prostate cancer, he returned to the construction site he was working at and “pottered around by myself for a few minutes”.
“Then all of a sudden just burst into tears.”
The 73-year-old told his colleague he had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer – his colleague did not know what it was.
This was the start of many conversations the cancer survivor has had in the past eight years since being diagnosed encouraging men to look after their health.
Lane is sharing his story for the Dry July campaign, an annual challenge where participants give up alcohol for a month while raising funds for non-medical services for cancer patients in New Zealand.
It comes after Tauranga mother Marena Gregory spoke about her breast cancer diagnosis and single mother Celia Farnworth said she had been given a “second chance” after surviving ovarian cancer.
For 20 years before his diagnosis, Lane saw his doctor for his “annual health warrant of fitness” and had blood tests done.
“I’ve always tried to be proactive with my own health.”
Before his diagnosis, Lane said the doctor told him he had a “slight elevation” in his PSA [prostate specific antigen] levels, which was “normal as you get older”.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the test looks for raised levels of the PSA protein in the blood, which is made by prostate cells. A PSA level that is above age norms could indicate a problem with the prostate gland.
The doctor advised him to monitor it for the next three months, at the end of which Lane was still recording elevated PSA levels.
The doctor did “the finger test” and told him he had an enlarged prostate.
Lane was referred to a urologist, he had a biopsy “and it was bloody cancer”.
He said he had no symptoms.
Lane said he was “absolutely shocked” – he did not even want to tell his wife, Christine, about it.
“I just wanted time to think.”
Lane had his prostate removed at Grace Hospital in Tauranga. He said the surgery was successful and his PSA levels were “virtually zero”.
Post-surgery, Lane said Pinc and Steel physiotherapy rehabilitation services helped him with muscle recovery and to “get a bit of purpose back in my life”.
Lane said about three years ago, he found out about a men’s prostate cancer support group in Tauranga that met monthly, attended by patients and their partners.
Sometimes the group had guest speakers come along to talk about prostate cancer-related issues such as incontinence and new treatments, he said.
“Or it’s just simply talking amongst ourselves seeing how we can support the other members.”
Lane said Christine supported him a lot and she went to the meetings with him.
“I would be lost without her.”
About 18 months ago, Lane found out about Prost-FIT classes which are organised and funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
He said it was a “good get-together” with other men with prostate cancer at the NextStep gym in Mount Maunganui.
The weekly one-hour sessions included a variety of physical exercises. It also helped with his mental health, he said.
He welcomed men who had prostate cancer to try the classes.
Lane also encouraged the partners of men to talk to them about prostate cancer and getting annual blood tests, particularly if men were “stubborn”.
“It is a serious business – there are people dying from it.”
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, one in eight Kiwi men will develop prostate cancer and about 700 men die from it each year. More than half did not display symptoms when diagnosed.
Pinc and Steel, and the foundation, are among services the Dry July challenge supported.
Prostate Cancer Foundation chief executive Peter Dickens said Dry July was a “fun and engaging personal challenge” that brought hope to those with prostate cancer.
“We cannot emphasise enough the difference the right support can make to the quality of life for people who have been treated for, or are living with, the disease.
“It’s in these areas that the support of Dry July truly shines, enabling the Prostate Cancer Foundation of NZ to get men moving through its national network of exercise classes, known as Prost-FIT.”
Dickens said evidence showed being physically active improved mental and physical health, could help prevent recurrence, and helped with side effect management.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.