'The journey continues': Former Newcastle United goalkeeper shares update after 18 months of treatment for aggressive prostate cancer
Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has recently posted a video on his Instagram telling the story of his 18-month battle with prostate cancer.
The ex Trinidad & Tobago international made 71 appearances for Newcastle, keeping 21 clean sheets between 1995-1998
Shaka is the keeper most people will think of when they see the famous Tyne Bridge sunset goalkeeper kit from the Kevin Keegan days.
Most recently, Hislop has been a pundit on American TV and has often spoken highly of Newcastle.
Shaka Hislop has undergone 18 months of treatment for aggressive prostate cancer
As reported by the BBC today, Hislop posted a video on his personal Instagram urging men, of Caribbean heritage particularly, to get checked for prostate cancer, as men of Afro-Caribbean heritage are at higher risk of developing that form of cancer. Research shows that black men of African or Caribbean ancestry are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer, but the figures are still high for all men, with one in eight men likely to develop prostate cancer. Get yourselves checked, lads.
"Roughly 18 months ago, I went for my annual physical and insisted on a PSA test [blood test that checks for prostate conditions], as I always do. This time around, though my PSA was elevated.
"An MRI and biopsy quickly determined that I had a fairly aggressive prostate cancer.
"A year ago, almost to the day, 6 December to be exact, I had a radical prostatectomy. And I thought that was it.
"But then, six months later, my PSA was again on the rise and another scan showed that my prostate cancer had spread to my pelvic bone.
"I started on medication pretty soon after, and just this morning completed seven and a half weeks of radiation therapy. The journey continues."
We wish Shaka a full and speedy recovery
It doesn't sound as though Shaka is out of the woods yet, given those last three words, but he's still here to tell his story because he was proactive and got himself checked out. Hislop urged people to get checked, following up with:
"Prostate cancer is survivable if caught early enough. There are treatments for it. Testing saves lives. It saved mine."
We wish Shaka all the best and hope for a quick and full recovery.
Meanwhile, we reiterate, get yourself checked, fellas, especially if you're over the age of 40
