Cancer survivor nominated for town award

A prostate cancer survivor who has organised cancer testing sessions for thousands of men has been nominated for his town's citizen of the year award.

David Simcock, from Whitchurch, Shropshire, was diagnosed in 2011

After his recovery, he decided to set up the sessions in the town through Whitchurch Rotary Club, resulting in about 3,500 men being tested to date.

"I thought: 'I don’t want anybody else to go through this', because you do not know you’ve got it. You don’t feel it, you don’t feel ill, it’s a shock," said Mr Simcock.

"I was diagnosed quite accidentally, really," he recalled.

He went to the doctors with a totally unrelated illness, and was sent for a blood test because he had not had one for some time.

From there, Mr Simcock was brought back for various tests and biopsies, after he was told his prostate specific antigen (PSA) was raised.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and made the decision to have his prostate removed.

It is this experience that inspired him to start the testing sessions.

"The first thing you’ve got to do is raise money," he said.

"Up to now, we’ve done roughly 3,500 men and that has cost us nearly £80,000."

The testing has been held every year, except during the pandemic.

"The first year I had about 135 men come," said Mr Simcock.

"This year I had 957 men come through.

"We had a lady send a cheque about three weeks ago for £1,000 because we saved her father."

The award, Whitchurch Citizen of the Year, is organised by Whitchurch Town Council.

The winner is to be announced on 23 November at the town's Christmas lights switch-on.

Other nominees include a volunteer that has dedicated more than 50 years to the Royal British Legion, and a woman who runs a team of volunteers to look after cats.

"I’m really very humbled about this, because all I’ve done is help people," he said.

"I’m just absolutely excited about it."

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