Warwickshire man taking on 31 in 31 challenge for prostate cancer charity

A prostate cancer survivor from Warwickshire is attempting to complete 31 triathlons in 31 days for charity and hopes to encourage men to get regularly checked.

Russell Cager, 55, from Rugby, will take on 31 Olympic distance triathlons by completing a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride and a 10km run every day in January - all while juggling his day job as a mortgage adviser.

Mr Cager, who is raising money for Prostate Cancer UK, hopes his challenge will raise awareness and help men recognise the symptoms of prostate cancer after he was diagnosed with the disease last year.

He said: "Don't ignore (the symptoms) and even if you feel fine, get yourself tested as a matter of routine"

Mr Cager also hopes to break the stigma about testing and aims to reassure men the procedure is easy and non-invasive.

He said: "Don't be frightened of getting yourself tested because it's just taking a blood test now or peeing onto a stick, and it could save your life."

Mr Cager said he was diagnosed after getting his friends together in December 2022 to encourage them to get tests, after seeing statistics that one in eight men will get it prostate cancer.

A day after meeting his friends, doctors told Mr Cager his PSA test needed investigating and he underwent a series of tests between January and March 2023, before a biopsy in April 2023 confirmed his cancer diagnosis.

Mr Cager said: "It was confirmed at stage three, so I had a choice of chemotherapy or getting it removed surgically. Then four weeks later I was in the theatre, at the end of May, having my prostate cancer removed through keyhole surgery. I just thought I've got this thing inside me it needs to come out, get it out and then we'll carry on.

"I've never felt ill and I've never felt threatened by it."

He explained: "When I had (the PSA) test and it was a positive test or it needed to be investigated, at no point did I feel like the symptoms were there for me to set the alarm bells.

"That's the worry, I think, for most men is that they don't realise it."

Since sharing his prostate cancer journey on Facebook, Mr Cager said the support from the public has been overwhelming, particularly after it prompted his friends to take a test - three of whom were later diagnosed with the disease.

Mr Cager has already raised more than £3,000 of his £5,000 target, but hopes to surpass his mark before the end of the month.

To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/31-triathlons-in-31-days-46811.

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