Prostate Cancer Survivor Attributes Life-Saving Diagnosis to Bill Turnbull’s Awareness Efforts

A prostate cancer survivor has credited the late broadcaster Bill Turnbull with saving his life. Andy Probert, from Watford, sought medical examination for the disease after the BBC Breakfast host raised public awareness of his own condition. Turnbull, 66, passed away at his home in Suffolk in August 2022, having been diagnosed with prostate cancer four years prior. Mr Probert, 52, stated it was “quite wonderful” to share his personal account in a manner similar to Turnbull, in the hope of assisting others. Despite experiencing no symptoms, the father-of-two scheduled a routine appointment with his GP in September 2022 and was informed that something was amiss. Following a series of examinations, Mr Probert received a prostate cancer diagnosis in December of that year. “Part of me didn’t believe it because I just wasn’t feeling ill, I was perfectly normal,” he told the BBC. He added, “I never thought in my life that I would be that person who has to sit through a diagnosis meeting like that.” He described the situation as, “It’s very surreal – part of you is worried, part of you is relieved, reassured that you’ve caught it early.” The heating engineer chose to undergo surgical removal of his prostate in March 2023 and has since made a full recovery from the cancer. He emphasized that lives would be preserved through individuals sharing their experiences and encouraging others to get checked. Figures from Prostate Cancer UK indicate that one in eight men will develop the disease in their lifetime, with many receiving a diagnosis too late. The announcement by six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy regarding his terminal diagnosis resulted in a nearly eight-fold increase in NHS searches for prostate cancer symptoms. “There is a very possible chance I would be in the position Chris Hoy is in if I didn’t get checked when I did,” Mr Probert stated. He continued, “I think of Chris and Bill [Turnbull] and part of me feels guilty, it’s a really weird thing. Bill Turnbull potentially saved my life.” He concluded, “I have an 18-month-old grandson and a granddaughter on the way. Without Bill raising awareness, I might never have seen anything.” Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.