A doctor who received an MBE from King Charles has caught over 100 cases of prostate cancer after launching pop-ups in the local community – including at sports clubs.
Dr Jyoti Shah, a Macmillan Consultant Urological Surgeon in the NHS, began growing concerned after watching the number of men not being diagnosed with the disease in time skyrocket.
With no clear symptoms early on and an unwillingness from male patients to visit their GP unless strictly necessary, she decided to take matters into her own hands – quite literally.
Dr Shah launched the Fighting Prostate Cancer campaign, which aims to offer alternative “less threatening” spaces for men to get their prostate checked.
One took place in Burton Albion Football Club, for instance.
Aside from sports clubs, pop-ups have also been held at police headquarters and even at Derbyshire Rolls Royce headquarters.
“The problem with prostate cancer is that it’s a silent killer,” said Dr Shah, who works at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.
“Every 45 minutes, one man dies from it – but if we pick it up early, we can cure it.
“So why are so many men dying?
“A lot of it stems from the barriers men face when it comes to testing.
“Either they are too busy working or they carry some embarrassment about it.
“They generally seem reluctant to address these problems, and it was with this in mind that I set up the campaign.
“We’ve turned a disused Covid-19 testing bus into a prostate screening bus, and now we’re going here, there and everywhere.
“It is a less threatening environment than going to the hospital and a bit more relaxed.
“We find places with free parking and we’ll offer them a cup of tea while they wait to see us.
“That was the blueprint that worked the first time, and so we did it again and again, visiting football clubs and other places where men congregate.
“We want to break the stigma and remove the fear factor of testing.”
Dr Shah, who is in her mid-50s, first took to the streets of her local community of Peterborough in a ‘health outreach bus’ to provide a pop-up clinic to check men on New Year’s Eve in 2023.
The doctor and her team of volunteers were “absolutely inundated” and it was clear there was a need for more comfortable and accessible ways for men to get tested.
To date, the team has tested nearly 3,300 men and held 45 events.
At each pop-up, they have identified at least one positive case of prostate cancer.
The test involves checking prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels via a blood test, which can help identify any abnormalities, followed by a prostate examination.
Every person who gets tested receives a personalised result letter, which is also issued to their GP.
Dr Shah said: “One in eight men will get prostate cancer in the UK.
“If you aren’t going to come to me in the clinic to get checked, I’ll come out to you in the community.”
Once the cancer has been identified, the doctor has another issue to tackle: post-treatment care.
There are several common issues that present after treatment surgery, including incontinence and erectile dysfunction – the possibility of which can put men off getting tested altogether.
Dr Shah has partnered with pelvic health brand iMEDicare-Pelvic Health Naturally to offer her patients solutions ahead of time.
She said: “The problem is, a lot of men will point out that they didn’t have any issues before being diagnosed – and now I’m telling them that not only do they have cancer, but that they will have issues stemming from the treatment.
“So, I want to be ready with the solutions.
“After the surgery we do to remove the prostate gland, patients will often experience stress incontinence.
“They tend to need to wear pads to catch leakage, which can need changing four to five times a day – for a lot of men, that can be uncomfortable and unpleasant.”
Dr Shah refers her patients to iMEDicare-Pelvic Health Naturally, who have a range of medical devices to manage incontinence and erectile dysfunction such as SOMAerect Size to Fit Vacuum Erection Device, which is supported by the NHS.
It utilises a mechanically controlled vacuum effect to provide both the regular exercise effect that offsets penile inactivity shrinkage and permitting the safe capture of full rigidity for intimacy as needed.
The Afex Active range offers boxer-briefs that discreetly and securely hold a plastic ergonomic curved receptacle inside a front pocket, which channels urine into a 500ml reusable collection bag.
Far from letting incontinence place limits on patients’ lifestyles post-op, the brand says the bodyworn urinal device can be used for everything from golfing, hiking, bowling, fishing, gardening or travelling.
Patients can empty the bag on the go, without having to worry about finding a toilet to change an adult diaper, for instance.
Dr Shah added: “We won’t leave anyone suffering post-treatment stranded with no solutions.”
Thanks to her efforts in screening and diagnosing cancer patients, the doctor was presented with an MBE from King Charles earlier this year, after being included in the New Year Honours List 2022.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this accolade, especially from HRH The King.
“This is a reflection of the dedication of the incredible team volunteering with me.
“All of us are passionate and fully committed to continue raising awareness and treat men with this dreaded disease as early as possible.”
“We are trying to remove the stigma but the key message I have for men here is: if you haven’t had your PSA checked and you are over 50 or have a family history of prostate cancer – go and get checked.
“Prostate cancer doesn’t have to be life-ending – the earlier we catch it, the more likely it is to be cured.”
READ MORE: Study finds drinking alcohol and napping on flights may harm your heart
