Feargal Sharkey has urged men to get tested for prostate cancer after revealing he was diagnosed with the disease after a GP visit for a sore throat.
The environmental campaigner and former lead singer of the Undertones said the health problem was “resolved” a year ago.
Speaking to the Daily Express, he said: “About a year and a half ago, I randomly went to see my GP with a sore throat.
“So my doctor, being the beautiful, wonderful, awkward, cantankerous old man that is went: ‘Oh Feargal, by the way, you’re 65 now, I’m going to run the full battery of tests.’
“Two days later, it turns out, I began a journey which led to the [diagnosis] of prostate cancer. Thankfully, that’s all now been resolved a year ago. But here we are, had it not been for that random visit to my local GP, I would never have known that I was at that point carrying prostate cancer, and if it had not been seen to, it could have been a very different ending and a very different outcome to my life.
“The reason I’m very happy to talk about it is because if there’s one man out there over the age of 45 go and see your GP. Go and get the blood test done.”
Earlier this year, prostate cancer became the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in England, surpassing breast cancer for two consecutive years. In 2023 there were 55,033 prostate cancer diagnoses.
On Sunday, the former US president Joe Biden was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
Sharkey urged men to get a blood test for the disease, which can be treated easily in its early stages. “Now, for one in eight of you, you will be put in the same journey I’ve had and it’s quite astonishing to think that in this country right now, one in eight men have prostate cancer,” he said. “Most of them don’t even know it. So go and have the blood test and if you’re lucky, you’ll walk away.”
He also expressed his “admiration” for the six-time Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy, who disclosed in October he has “two to four years” left to live after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer which had metastasised from his prostate.
“I have such unbelievable admiration for Chris Hoy over the last couple of months. If you end up where Chris is, well you’re now looking for a very different outcome and not the one you were expecting for your life, my friend. So, for a blood test – go get it done right now.”
