Daley, aged 69, underwent an operation to remove the cancer earlier this year after initially being referred for tests by his GP, admitting he has come through a tough time thanks to the support of wife Lyn and family, and the excellence of the NHS.
Daley is linking up with NHS staff and Wolves to attend the Fan Zone outside Molineux before Sunday’s Premier League fixture with Newcastle, to raise awareness of the most common cancer in men which will affect one in eight during their lifetime.
“When I first went to my GP, I had a feeling something wasn’t quite right so he gave me some blood tests and the PSA test which can help detect prostate cancer,” he says.
“He referred me on for an MRI scan and biopsies at New Cross Hospital, and from there I received the diagnosis.
“When Dr Mak, the consultant at New Cross, called me into his office, I’ll be honest, not for one minute did I think he was going to say what he did.
“We think we are invincible, don’t we? Especially men. We think it will never happen to us.
“I played football for 16 or 17 years, training most days, and have kept myself reasonably fit since.
“Not for one minute did I ever think I’d get prostate cancer and that is my message – it really can happen to anyone.
“No matter who you are, what you do, what you think you can do, if you have any symptoms or feel something isn’t right, go and get it checked out.
“Cancer is indiscriminate, it can affect anyone, and having an early diagnosis makes such a difference.
“For the sake of a few hours and a few tests, it could save your life.”
Daley underwent surgery back in May and, ten weeks later, was given the news that he had received the all-clear, sparking many emotions of happiness and relief.
He and Lyn have three children – Kerry, Ryan and Gemma – ten grandchildren and, only last week, a new great grandson, Leo.
“The family have really kept me going since the diagnosis and seeing their smiles when I told them I got the all-clear was a wonderful moment,” adds Daley, who scored 43 goals from 244 appearances for Wolves between 1971 and 1979, before then joining Manchester City for a record £1.4million fee.
“And the NHS have been amazing, right the way through the process, the staff have been brilliant and also helped me through it.”
Wolves, who have previously staged a prostate cancer screening session at Molineux which included one supporter being diagnosed, are welcoming Daley and staff from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust’s Urology Department in the Fan Zone before Sunday’s game, which kicks off at 2pm.
Staff will join Daley to talk to fans about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer and the importance of being aware of when and where to seek help to address any concerns.
Clare Waymont, Consultant Nurse Urology said: “Most men with early prostate cancer don’t show symptoms and this is due to the way the cancer grows.
“You’ll usually only get early symptoms if the cancer grows near the tube you urinate through (the urethra) and presses against it, changing the way you wee.
“But because prostate cancer usually starts to grow in a different part (usually the outer part) of the prostate, early prostate cancer doesn’t often press on the urethra and cause symptoms.
“If you do notice changes in the way you wee, it is likely to be caused by a non-cancerous problem such as an enlarged prostate, but you definitely should never ignore these symptoms and should always seek advice from your GP.”
Changes include difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder, a weak flow when you urinate, a feeling your bladder hasn’t emptied properly, dribbling urine after you finish urinating and needing to urinate more often, especially at night.
More than 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year – that's 129 men every day – and one man dies from prostate cancer every 45 minutes – that’s 11,500 men in total.
Around 400,000 men are living with, and after, prostate cancer, and the cancer is more likely to affect men over the age of 50, men of black ethnicity, or men from a family history of prostate cancer.
The national charity Prostate Cancer UK has linked up with football to support raising awareness and funds, and is organising several marches across the country in September, including in the West Midlands, taking in different clubs, on September 24th. Click here for details.
All fans will be welcome to pop in and meet Steve and the NHS staff in the Fan Zone from opening time at 11am on Sunday.
