“My aim coming here today was if I can get one person from this crowd to go and get a test done and find out that his PSA’s getting high and it saves him. My job is done.”
Mick Vandermeer spoke from the heart and from experience at Shepparton’s Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch at the Museum of Vehicle Evolution on Friday, August 26.
When he finally booked an appointment with his GP after repeated calls from his wife to get “old man tests” when he turned 50 in 2017, Mr Vandermeer learnt that his PSA — prostate specific antigen levels — were high.
His case led to surgery, but a better outcome than if he’d continued to ignore his wife and avoid the tests.
“So I had robotic surgery at St Vincent’s Private (hospital) in January, on the ninth of January,’’ he said.
“The op went well and I was back at work within three to four months.’’
Mr Vandermeer said his experience was a lesson for others to act and not delay.
“Naturally, I procrastinated until the nagging was out of control and eventually I went off to the quack,” he said.
“Rest assured, there is no invasion of where you don’t want to be (invaded).
“It’s a simple blood test mate. That’s it. Simple as that.”
Mr Vandermeer’s father died of lung cancer 23 years ago and he has since learnt that two of his uncles had died of prostate cancer and one was in remission.
“It’s so important to have those conversations within your family, with your kids, with your sons, with your dad, whatever, because I wouldn’t have known and I had no symptoms whatsoever,” he told the 1000 people, mostly men, at the lunch.
“Nothing’s off limits with the conversations you have at home.”
Mr Vandermeer praised the cancer specialist nurses at Goulburn Valley Health — Lynda Morrison, Sonia Strachan and Nicole Lewis — whose positions the Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch helped fund.
“I cannot express my gratitude enough to these ladies here,” he said.
“They make you feel extremely comfortable, no problems with anything and there’s more than these girls behind the scenes, there’s a lot more.
“Keep these girls in a job. They’re invaluable.
“Get to your GP and ask for a PSA test.
“It’s nothing, absolutely nothing and always listen to your nagging wife.”