“Adjusting is hard work, but you do get there”

Errol McKellar is 65 and based in Dunmow, Essex -

originally from Brent in North London. He was diagnosed with

prostate cancer in 2010 and continues to experience urinary

incontinence as a result.

He has set up his own charity to support men living

with and after prostate cancer, called the Errol

McKellar Foundation, and is a passionate advocate

and ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK.

He said: “I got the all-clear for prostate cancer in 2017,

but I still have to live with the side effects and issues,

although things are not as bad now as they were.

The incontinence is an interesting one, and

it can really affect you and your confidence

and how you behave, how it affects your

family and your partner. It’s trying to always

know where your nearest toilet is. It’s

always making sure that you have enough

coverage, in incontinence pads or shields,

to help you hold what you are trying to get

to the toilet for in the first place. And then

when you get to the toilet, there’s problems

there too.

“I wasn’t prepared for what was to come, and in my

charity work I find that many guys aren’t prepared. We

think we are, because we’ve done all the reading, but

we’re not. When you have your prostate removed it’s a

real adjustment to learn how to hold the water.

“Adjusting is hard work, but you do get there. Initially it

was very difficult. You can’t wear brightly coloured clothes.

Your conscious of the kind of clothes that you wear, you’re

conscious of the surroundings you’re in because the tiniest

little thing can trigger a leak of some description.

“The operation is one thing but this particular subject,

it’s really, really personal. There isn’t enough support for

men around incontinence, despite it being probably the

most discussed conversation that we have within my

charity group.

“I’ve accepted that incontinence is going to be a journey

for me forever. There is no fix or quick cure for it. What

would make it easier is more help when you get to the

toilets and more help when you’re inside the toilets.

So somewhere to leave your pads that is safe for

everyone, and ideally some pads so we don’t have to

carry packs around with us everywhere.

“We need to look at how we can educate men and raise

awareness of incontinence. If we can help men overcome

that embarrassment, I think it would make a huge

difference to how men seek treatment but how they can

live better lives too.

“I’m so thankful for this campaign from Prostate Cancer

UK and phs Group. I feel at last someone is taking this

situation seriously.”