Southport man urges people to “act fast” over blood in urine

Southport man urges people to “act fast” over blood in urine

A Southport man has urged people to “act fast” if they notice blood in their urine after a tumour was found in his bladder a year ago.

Michael Uttley, 64, spotted blood in his pee but initially put off going to his GP.

Fortunately, Michael did act in time and his cancer was able to be treated at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.

Michael has come forward to tell his story as Public Health England launches a national campaign to raise awareness of bladder and kidney cancers.

The Be Clear On Cancer – Blood in Pee campaign runs until the end of March. It is aimed at men and women over the age of 50 who make up more than 90% of bladder and kidney cancer diagnoses in England.

Michael said: “If you notice blood in your pee, even if it’s ‘just the once’, tell your doctor.

“The risks of delaying are just too great. I was reluctant to go at first as I thought diagnosis and treatment would be painful and traumatic. But it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought.”

Following a referral to Trust Consultant Urological Surgeon Mr Rahul Mistry, Michael underwent tests and received his diagnosis in February last year.

He said: “The process was much less painful than I expected. Hospital staff were fantastic, very caring and reassuring. It was remarkable seeing visually what it was that was growing inside me. I felt relieved that I finally had an answer to the blood I was finding in my urine.”

The tumour in Michael’s bladder was removed and afterwards he was carefully monitored by Mr Mistry and his team.

Michael is currently successfully undergoing a form of chemotherapy specifically for people with bladder cancer. But he is “fit and well” and enjoying time spent in retirement with family.

“I have seen for myself that anything is possible if you act fast,” he said.

Mr Mistry added: “Each year around 17,450 people in England are diagnosed with bladder or kidney cancer and approximately 7,600 die from these cancers.

“If bladder and kidney cancers are diagnosed at the earliest stage, one-year survival is as high as 92-96%. Unfortunately, at a late stage, it drops to just 27-37%. The ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the presenting signs and symptoms and encouraging people with relevant symptoms to see their GP without delay.”

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