Bill Turnbull laid to rest

[macliam]

I realise we did not note the death of Bill Turnbull, the former BBC presenter, who died at the end of August at the age of 66, just 30 months after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He did much in that time to press for more testing for prostate issues and to raise awareness of the dangers. Ironically, in March 2018, just as his cancer was diagnosed, the BBC broadcast a 10-part series he had made called "Holding Back the Years", which offered information on living well in later life.

His funeral yesterday was at Blythbugh in Suffolk, near to his home since his retirement from the BBC in 2016 to pursue his love of beekeeping.
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/bill-turnbu ... gn=DM63581

[MrsXfile]

I always liked any programme Bill was in. He was so enthusiastic about his beekeeping and you said above macliam he has done so much in encouraging men to get themselves checked at the first sign of any symptoms. I read an article about Bill putting off seeing his GP and how if he'd gone sooner his prognosis could have been different.

[macliam]

Yes, unfortunately, like George Alagiah with his bowel cancer, Bill ignored the early symptoms and was not diagnosed until his own was well advanced. It's something that affects us all - this tendency to put off getting things checked - luckily for me, I had no such option as mine was piicked up through screening at stage 2 (having got to that in just 2 years with no symptoms) and, le cúnamh Dé, I'm here having just done my bloods at the end of 5 years since treatment.

No cancer is fun, but bowel cancer can be recognized and treated early, prostate cancer is more problematical because enlargement is a fact of life and not all issues are due to cancer. It's also true that sometimes the development is so slow that a man will die of other causes long before the cancer kills him - and the chances of misdiagnosis are real. Worst of all, there's not yet a test process accurate enough to underpin a scanning regime as there is for bowel cancer - yet it is a major killer.

After 5 years my own monitoring is at an end - and soon enough I will pass the "end date" for automatic screening, both of which concern me - but equally my annual CT scans were a guard against prostate issues. So I need to squawk at the colorectal department to get an extension! Having been caught once by an asymptomatic cancer, I don't want to miss any recurrence!

Meanwhile, the screening system for bowel cancer is now far better than it was, so even less excuse to ignore it..... and even the prep for a colonoscopy has improved, so no excuses! DON'T PUT IT OFF!!!

[blythburgh]

I am guessing the funeral was at "The Cathedral of the Marshes" instead of his local church because so many people would want to attend. The saddest of occasions for those who knew and loved Bill Turnbull but they could not have aske for a more beautiful setting inside the church and out for the funeral.

RIP Bill and thanks for all you have done to promote how important it is not to ignore symptoms.

@im indoors went to see his GP a few years back about a small white lump on the back. He was told oh it is just a spot that instead of coming to the surface it has got stuck under the skin. Nothing to worry about. Over the years it got a bigger but "It was nothing to worry about". He is not the sort to ignore symptoms but nor is he the sort to bother the GP with stuff he or the pharmacist can deal with.

We are now at a different surgery and when I noticed a change in the white lump (it had turned red at the bottom end) he phoned surgery. Seen next day by a professional who said it was a sebacious cyst and drained it for him. And was told normally not a problem but this one is so near the spine it is a worry and if it ever returns he must get it sorted again.

I am so glad we changed surgeries to one where we might see a nurse, paramedic, nurse practioner or a GP but at least we are getting the help we need. After all these professionals know what they are doing and if needed can pass us up the chain to a GP.

If only Bill and George and so many other men had contacted their GP's surgery earlier. If only every man and woman would take up the offer of screening. How many people are dead or dying because they were scared that cancer might be detected?

Yes, you have to be a certain age to get bowel cancer screening and it can occur in younger people but womb, breast or bowel cancer screening could save your life. If you get an invite for screening or your body is behaving strangely do not delay.

[macliam]

Yes, according to the linked article, the funeral was at Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh, the "cathedral of the marshes" and I agree, it is a beatiful place to bid farewell to a loved one. Fot those who might wonder about the name, this photo might suggest it is a "bit big" to be a local parish church.... particularly of a rural parish


Unfortunately, at the moment, it's tricky to tell people to "talk to their GP" because many, like me, would find that really, really difficult. My own GP "retired" over 2 years ago and my assigned GP has changed twice since them, but I'm yet to meet them...... and experience suggests that any confidence that another partner would have taken the time to read my history would be misplaced..... My last "consultation" was with one of the doctors to take a look at something. He did, he photographed it, he said it was not a worry but "we'll keep an eye on it" ..... and he was totally unaware that I had been treated for cancer, what drugs I was on or that I was still under post-op monitoring. So, I too am less than assured that my issue has been dealt with. I'm also concerned that if I rang to report a significant symptom it would be recognized..... which is a shame.

Equally, it's important to realise that there is no national screening program for Prostate cancer - and that the automatic screening for Bowel cancer ends at age 70 (which seems a very odd cut off). Still I will have the pleasure of queuing up for a fu shot open day in October (given I can get any parling within 5 miles of the surgery) and a Covid repeater - though this is at a ~local pharmacy (~ because 4.8 miles is a bit of a schlep).... and I got to see a dentist (not mine) and my optician has suggested I might like to pay for an interim eye-test (plus add-ons)....... because obviously you can't get tested enough (as long as you pay for it). Sigh.