At 73-years-old, Bill Fergie knows he will more than likely die from prostate cancer.
It’s a fate many with the diagnosis will suffer – more than 700 men died from the disease in New Zealand last year.
Bill was on the tail-end of a brutal lung cancer battle when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
The diagnosis was that he would live for three months but die within two years.
A doctor told him, for a second time, to get his affairs in order. That was in 2009 and Bill is still fighting the long game.
He credits an overhaul of his lifestyle habits particularly exercise, no alcohol, and a conversion to the Mediterranean diet to his longevity.
This month is Blue September, the annual fundraising campaign which normally sees men and women across the country come together for ‘Blue Do’s’ to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
However, this year many of these events cannot go ahead due to alert level restrictions and Bill says the foundation will really feel the loss of funds raised.
While New Zealanders have free screening for breast, cervical and more recently, bowel cancer, free prostate cancer screening is something that still hasn’t happened.
Bill now spends the bulk of his time championing for and supporting the cause as the Nelson support co-ordinator for the foundation.
One thing that has helped him on his journey are the local ProstFit classes.
Living and breathing the slogan “stronger together”, the weekly fitness class connects men living with any stage of prostate and other cancers.
Group instructor Leigh Dalzell says the class has a strong focus on mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
“People who are having or have had treatment, the hormone therapy and radiation hammers the body so you can have a light day if you want to, or if you’re feeling good you can do a bit more,” Leigh says.
She says the class is also about building a support network through what can be the hardest time in a man’s life.
For more information on the classes contact leighsdream@gmail.com
