![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/07\/329234386_7080204876_72185.jpg\")
Sweeney was diagnosed with prostate cancer four days before Christmas last year at the age of 54, stemming from a sleepless night on October 18, 2022.<\/p>\n
The Bells Beach resident went to the doctor suffering from vertigo, where he was then recommended to get a blood test for the first time in two years.<\/p>\n
Mr Sweeney’s Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) had risen to 4.91 from a baseline of 1.41 taken in 2013, which quickly jumped again to 5.6.<\/p>\n
“I went in for a robotic prostatectomy soon after, on Wednesday, January 11,” Mr Sweeney said.<\/p>\n
“I got to go home on Friday the 13th, sporting six wounds in my abdomen and a catheter strapped to my leg.<\/p>\n
“The first three days after the catheter was removed I felt like I was doing really well, but the following week was a reality check as my recovery had slowed, and I had to take a breath and realise time does really heal and I’m not Superman.<\/p>\n
“I’ve just received my six-month follow up results last Friday which came back 0.0, so it means I’m now officially cancer-free.”<\/p>\n
“My advice to other men is it’s the words you don’t want to hear that can sometimes save your life, so please book yourself in for a PSA blood test today.”<\/p>\n
Mr Sweeney is also going alcohol-free for the whole of 2023, not just July, raising funds for PCFA through the Dry July Foundation.<\/p>\n
To help Mr Sweeney reach his fundraising goal, head to dryjuly.com\/users\/julian-sweeney<\/p>\n
For prostate cancer information and support, head to pcfa.org.au<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A RESPECTED member of the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club and cancer survivor has been named a community champion as part of a new program launched this month by Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). Torquay SLSC president Julian Sweeney said he waq proud to be a community voice for prostate cancer. and hoped his […]<\/p>\n