A Cavan man who was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year is urging people across the region to support cancer patients by getting involved with the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day this week.
45-year-old Jonathan Molloy was in good health and he was not aware anything was amiss until routine blood tests at the GP revealed he had raised prostate-specific antigen levels. Further tests and scans relieved a diagnosis of prostate cancer and Jonathan was booked in for surgery in April last year.
The Cavan Town native told the Joe Finnegan Show earlier that he was told by so many people that I was one of the lucky ones, catching the cancer early. Since my operation, and having spoken with so many others, I've since realised that this statement could not be any closer to the truth. He is appealing to other young men to get their prostate-specific antigen levels checked by simply getting a blood test and he said this can potentially save lives.
Speaking to Northern Sound earlier Jonathan said he simply wants to get the message out there that men and young men need to get tested and it's not something that's intrusive.
“I want to get the message out there that men and young men need to get tested and it’s not something that’s intrusive. I wouldn’t have known this time last year that I could get prostate cancer but when you are diagnosed you begin to hear how common it is. If I can do anything for anybody, it’s to let them know that this test is so easy to get done and you’re just ticking a box, and it could make a big difference.”
I will be climbing the top four peaks in Ireland without stopping in May of this year alongside four of my closest friends. We will be donating half of all funds raised to the Irish Cancer Society as a way of giving back and thanking them for supporting people affected by cancer.”
On top of funding life-changing cancer research, the Irish Cancer Society provides vital services and supports to patients and their families across Cavan each year, including 273 free counselling sessions, 104 nights of in-home Night Nursing for cancer patients in their final days, and 185 of free lifts to get patients safely to and from their hospital chemotherapy appointments in 2022.
The Irish Cancer Society is calling on the public to take part in any way they can to show solidarity and support for anyone affected by cancer, and says that this year’s Daffodil Day is their most important yet.
As well as donating at Cancer.ie and volunteering to help fundraise, people can purchase items from the Daffodil Day online shop and take part in a Steps Challenge.
