Rugby Icon Sir Ian McGeechan Declares Cancer ‘All Gone’ and Champions National Prostate Screening
A new national screening program is urgently needed to improve early detection rates and save lives, according to the celebrated rugby coach.
Rugby legend Sir Ian McGeechan has revealed his prostate cancer is “all gone and under control” following treatment, and is now passionately advocating for a government-funded national screening program for the disease.In his first public discussion of his diagnosis and recovery, McGeechan emphasized the importance of early detection, stating, “You want to find out early. Sooner rather than later, and not be reliant on a possible whim of a decision.”
Currently, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests – a common method for detecting potential prostate cancer – are typically only offered to men over the age of 50. Though, the reliability of PSA tests has been debated, with concerns that they can sometimes miss aggressive cancers or lead to unneeded interventions. mcgeechan believes broader access to testing is essential.
“I finished the treatment at the end of april and then had a follow-up test at the end of May – and the PSA was down to 0.8, which effectively said it’s gone,” he explained. “So when you hear that after having heard somebody say to you you’ve got cancer is quiet special.” He confirmed, “The prostate cancer’s all gone and under control, so delighted.”
McGeechan is leveraging his prominent platform to raise awareness about prostate cancer, speaking publicly while being honored at Leeds Beckett University as an alumnus inducted into the sport hall of fame. The urgency of his call is underscored by statistics from Prostate Cancer UK, which reports approximately 63,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually in Britain, with a tragic toll of 12,000 deaths each year.
“It needs that support from government,” McGeechan insisted. “there has to be a screening programme because prostate cancer is recoverable.” He added, “And it would be a great shame if people miss that prospect to have a scan and not just be able to have it there rather than be asking can you, can’t you.”
The UK National Screening Committee is currently evaluating the feasibility of implementing a national prostate cancer screening program, including consideration of annual testing protocols. McGeechan stressed the importance of proactive screening,particularly for those with a family history of the disease.
“If you’ve got cancer in the family then it just makes sense to be able to offer that screening and just educate people and make them aware of what some of the symptoms are,” he said. He revealed that he initially felt no symptoms, and it was his wife who noticed a change in his nighttime bathroom habits – waking twice a night instead of sleeping through for up to 10 hours – that prompted a visit to the doctor.
“We had a fantastic GP who reacted straight away with the PSA test,” McGeechan recounted. “Then biopsy,MRI scan and they found it relatively early and monitored it for a year.” After observing changes in the cancer’s grade, he underwent hormone therapy and radiotherapy, a period he described as “fairly intense” earlier this year.
.
Now enjoying a renewed sense of purpose,McGeechan continues his involvement with the Doncaster knights rugby team. His illustrious career includes two Lions tours as a player, winning in South Africa in 1974, and a remarkable five tours as a coach, leading the team to victory in Australia in 1989 and South Africa in 1997. his coaching achievements also include a Five Nations grand Slam with Scotland in 1990 – the nation’s last major rugby title.
“I do feel privileged to have had those opportunities,” McGeechan reflected, also expressing his deep gratitude for the care he received from the National Health Service (NHS). “It’s just great to have seen something that works so well when it’s in place at the right time to make such a huge difference,” he concluded, underscoring the life-saving potential of early cancer detection and treatment.
