A painter and decorator has credited his customers, both retired doctors, with saving his life after they noticed a crucial symptom of prostate cancer while he worked at their home. Jeff Titmarsh, 67, from Stratford-on-Avon, was urinating up to 12 times a day but dismissed it as a sign of ageing.
The grandfather-of-four was decorating the home of two retired doctors in May 2024 when they observed his frequent trips to the bathroom. They urged him to see his GP, leading to tests that confirmed stage four prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones.
Jeff underwent chemotherapy and hormone therapy, and despite being told the cancer was incurable, he responded well to treatment and is now in remission. He requires blood tests every two months and daily hormone medication.
Jeff is now fundraising for Prostate Cancer Research and raising awareness of the disease, which affects one in eight men. He said: 'Going to the loo more was the only symptom I had, but I ignored it for a year. The doctors I was working for gave me the boot up the backside to get it checked out – my message is get checked out as soon as possible.'
He is training for Sir Chris Hoy's Tour de 4 charity cycling event in September to support prostate cancer research.
