Stepping into the unknown – what happens once treatment finishes?

78-year-old Warrnambool local William ‘Bill’ McKellar never expected that after retiring in 2016, his vision of a relaxing future would soon be filled with appointments, tests, treatment sessions and the stress of a prostate cancer diagnosis. He had just returned from a big trip to France and Belgium, feeling fit and rejuvenated after years of manual work at a saw mill.

“I was 75 and still going good, other than a completely stuffed left knee. It was after a knee reconstruction in July 2017 that the first signs of prostate trouble began. Things had been brewing for a little while and I knew something was going on.”

After a visit to his GP, Bill was told that he had a very enlarged prostate and a PSA level of 9.7. He was then referred to a specialist urologist for a biopsy but as the risk of infection could have affected his knee, this was pushed out until the new year.

“It was strange. You look forward to the end so much and it was a bit of an anti-climax. I thought I would be happy and jumping all over the place when I finished, but just thought what am I going to do now?”

He says that the support of survivorship nurses at Icon Warrnambool through the South West Regional Cancer Centre’s survivorship program helped him make the transition to life beyond cancer treatment.

“I explained how I was feeling to the nurses and they said it was very common. It was fantastic to have nurses who led me through the transition and told me what to expect. If I need any help I can just give them a call, even now that my radiation therapy treatment is over.”

Although he still receives hormone injections and went back to Icon Cancer Centre for one more short course of radiation in 2019, for the most part Bill’s life has now returned to normal. He continues to meet with nurses at Icon Warrnambool who check in regarding how he’s holding up physically and mentally, and his doctor to monitor his PSA levels, which now sit at 0.03.

“I still get nervous before every check-up appointment. I try not to think about it until I get closer to the time, as they are every six months now.”

“You put on a brave front but sometimes when you’re on your own you start to crack up a bit. Don’t be afraid to cry, it’s no good bottling it up and helps to release tension. It helps to also remember all of the support you’ve received along the way.”

“Different people have different ways of handling things, but it’s important to keep a positive mindset and hope for the best.”