Stephen Fry's urgent plea for one act which he says could 'save lives' while speaking of his cancer diagnosis
Stephen Fry has issued an urgent plea which he says could “save lives” as he reflected on his own cancer diagnosis.
The 66-year-old is urging cancer patients to sign up for a new research initiative which he believes could "save lives" after he underwent prostate cancer surgery himself.
Fry announced in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in a lengthy video on his personal blog. Back then, he had been absent from the public eye from quite some time and explained that his cancer diagnosis was the reason for this.
The TV personality detailed how the disease was spotted after a visit to the doctor for a flu jab. He later had surgery to have 11 lymph nodes removed. Fry has since gone on to say his "life was saved" by early intervention and has urged men "of a certain age" to get their levels checked.
The NHS is joining forces with the charity Prostate Cancer Research, which has launched an initiative called Prostate Progress. The initiative is the first of a series of projects which will support innovative uses of health data. Researchers hope to gain further insights into prostate cancer by combining the two sets of data.
They then hope to be able to use this to develop new treatments and tests to improve diagnosis, monitor the safety of treatments, and plan new NHS services.
Fry is hoping to encourage others living with a diagnosis to get involved with the project. He told The Mirror: "Prostate Progress represents a beacon of hope in the fight against prostate cancer, a disease that impacts countless lives globally.
"By harnessing the power of our own health information, we empower researchers to unlock vital insights, leading to groundbreaking advancements.
"We can bring the world closer to a future where this disease is no longer a threat, where early detection and effective, humane treatment saves lives. I am excited to be part of Prostate Progress and urge others to join me."
Anyone diagnosed with prostate cancer, either recently or in the past, is being encouraged to take part in Prostate Progress. You can find out more information and sign up on the Prostate Progress website.