Bladder cancer survivor says don't ignore blood in your urine

That's the advice from 74-year-old Sydneysider, and bladder cancer survivor, David Price.

Two years ago Mr Price, from Normanhurst, was helping renovate his son's house inbetween playing tennis and going for regular walks. As his wife Judith says, "he was never standing still".

Then in January 2019, Mr Price noticed a little blood in his urine and blood stains in his underwear.

"I knew something wasn't right, so I immediately went to see my GP," he said. After several tests, he was diagnosed with high grade muscle invasive bladder cancer.

The couple was shocked. "I thought, I feel fine. How can I have this aggressive cancer?" said Mr Price, who admits he'd never heard of the disease before then.

He underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and several operations resulting in the removal of his his bladder, prostate and lymph nodes. A section of his bowel was used to divert the urine to the skin's surface where an opening called a stoma was created.

Almost 16 months on, Mr Price has regained all the weight he lost and is now happily living his "new normal". He walks regularly and spends time with his four grandchildren, but has this advice to others: "If you have blood in your urine, go to the doctor immediately - bladder cancer can move very quickly."

His message is backed up by leading Australian prostate and bladder cancer surgeon Professor David Gillatt, who warns that ignoring blood in your urine could be deadly.

Professor Gillatt is part of BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia charity, formed in 2018 to create greater awareness of bladder cancer and to support patients through their bladder cancer journey.

He said evidence shows early diagnosis increases the survival rate of this cancer and that the sooner someone who is experiencing changes to urination habits or colour reports to their GP the better.

"During the time we have been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, GPs and specialists have reported a 20 to 30 per cent decrease in the number of people reporting symptoms of ill health," Professor Gillatt said.

"More people die of cancer than are dying of coronavirus in Australia," he added, "therefore it is vital for people who have symptoms such as blood in their urine to report it to their GPs without delay. Waiting could cost them their lives."

Last year there were more than 3100 cases of bladder cancer in Australia, with just over a third of these patients dying - around 100 a month - from the disease.

Of the 3168 bladder cancer cases in 2019, more than three quarters were men (2447) were men and the rest women (721). Just under half of the women died compared to 35 per cent of the men.

The most 'at risk' age groups are men over 65 and women aged 35 to 50.

BEAT Bladder Cancer's website, and monthly support forums, provide patients and carers with detailed peer-reviewed information to help them make better choices while dealing with a bladder cancer diagnosis.

The action group has recently launched its Blood in Your Pee? See you GP awareness campaign.

You may experience one or more of the following:

For more information go to www.beatbladdercanceraustralia.org.au