We are proud to support a local in his bid to improve prostate health.
Andrew Gibson from Chipping Sodbury stepped outside his comfort zone when he organised a 500 mile solo road trip by tractor to raise awareness of the concerning condition and raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
The ‘Harvesting your Prostate Health’ campaign travelled from the Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire on the 16th September and drove through the English countryside to arrive at Hoghton Tower in Chorley, Lancashire the day after and then back to the south west for the 18th September, straight to the Genesis Care outpatient cancer centre in Bristol where Andrew has been receiving treatment since his diagnosis.
In April 2020, Andrew, a former armed forces and NHS paramedic collapsed while refereeing a rugby match after experiencing twinges for some time. He was tested and diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer and given just two years to live. Today, four years later, having undergone extensive treatment including chemotherapy and precision radiotherapy he knows he’s on borrowed time.
But rather than slow down, Andrew is a man on a mission to encourage the farming community to harvest their prostate health.
The tractor used for the UK charity trip was a New Holland T6.180 supplied by T H WHITE’s Knockdown depot. Andrew was also ably assisted with the tractor use by T H WHITE salespeople Marley Lawrence and Sophie Taylor, shown with Andrew in the image on the right.
Andrew said of the road trip “Research shows that people living in rural areas – and farmers in particular – are less likely to engage in preventative health measures, including cancer screenings. This is due to many reasons, but a key factor is that many farmers simply prioritise daily work over their personal health.” Andrew added “I’ve been a fit and active man all my life. I was a non-professional rugby referee for 34 years and served in the military, but still developed this. I want to encourage other men to prioritise their prostate health”.
Please read more about Andrew’s inspiring and uplifting story in his own words on the Genesis Care website here
