WHEN Damian Lazewski began repeatedly waking up in the middle of the night needing to use the toilet, he and his wife thought little of it.
The now 45-year-old had no other symptoms but visited his in January who told him it was likely just a urine infection.
Damian Lazewski had no other symptoms when he visited his GP in January Credit: Cover Images
His GP told Damian he likely just had a urine infection Credit: Cover Images
It was only after the night time issue persisted that his wife Dagmara urged him to have a blood test.
It found that the Dad-of-two’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level – a key indicator of – was extremely high and he was referred for further tests.
Scans and additional blood tests confirmed the devastating cause of Damian’s issue in May – he had stage four prostate cancer, meaning it had spread to other parts of body, his bones and lymph nodes.
Even with treatment, the IT engineer was then told he likely had a life expectancy of just three to four years.
Now, Damian, who is from but lives in London, is undergoing treatment to slow the progression of the cancer.
But further treatment that may be required if the cancer becomes resistant to treatment is only available privately at a cost of more than £15,000 per dose.
Recalling Damian’s horrifying ordeal, Dagmara, 42, said: “He would usually get up once, or not at all. But when he started getting up twice, we decided he should get it checked out.
“We didn’t think it could be anything serious and the doctor said it was probably a urine infection.
“This is the most difficult time of our lives, but we are trying to stay strong for our two daughters while facing this devastating diagnosis. Our world has been turned upside down.
“The oncologist said he has around three to four years, but it might be less because of his young age and the cancer being extremely aggressive.
“They are also investigating whether he has a genetic mutation that could make the cancer more aggressive and less responsive to treatment.”
She added: “We understand that if the cancer becomes resistant to this treatment, he may need a further option called Lutetium-177 therapy.
Tests found that the Dad-of-two’s PSA level, a key indicator of prostate cancer, was high Credit: Cover Images
“This treatment is not currently available on the NHS due to the cost and must be accessed privately.
“Each dose costs around £15,000 and he would need approximately six doses, bringing the total to around £90,000, not including scans, consultations and other medical expenses.”
The couple are both continuing to work full-time to support their family and prepare for the financial burden ahead.
They are also caring for their daughters, who both have additional needs.
“The girls are struggling. My 16-year-old is waiting for her diagnosis after a waiting for more than three years, and she has also been treated for an eating disorder,” Dagmara said.
“My 12-year-old is waiting for an ADHD diagnosis and is struggling at school as a result,” she added.
“We have never missed a work day in our life here in the UK.
“When my daughters were born, I went back to work after eight months of maternity leave. It was not easy.
“Everything is happening all at once. It is very, very hard. I’m really struggling with my thoughts, my fear of the future and how we are going to cope. It is really frightening.
“He had his whole life in front of him and now his future has been taken away from him.”
The couple met online in 2004 while Damian was already living in the UK. Dagmara moved the following year.
“We had our daughters and always planned to return to Poland together once they had finished school and left home. Now our future looks very different,” she said.
“We can’t go back because his treatment is here. We feel very lost and stuck. I have friends here, but I don’t want to talk to them about the same thing every day.
“They have their own problems. I feel very lonely and lost.
“Damian is the best husband and father to our two daughters I could ever imagine.
“He is kind, loving and has always been the positive spirit in our home. He lifts us up even on the hardest days.
“Since his diagnosis, he has experienced increasing pain, fatigue and difficulty with everyday life, as well as constant worry about the future.
“Our days are now focused on managing his symptoms, attending appointments and making the most of the time we have together as a family.
“He is due to start chemotherapy shortly, and so we don’t know how much longer he will be able to work.”
With their relatives in Poland and their future plans dramatically changed, the family say they have been left feeling isolated.
The couple met online in 2004 while Damian was already living in the UK. Dagmara moved the following year Credit: Cover Images Who is at risk of prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer affects a small, walnut-shaped gland that sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra – the tube carrying pee outside the body.
It usually grows bigger as you get older.
The prostate’s main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.
Most men with early prostate cancer don’t have any signs or symptoms – that’s why it’s important to know about your risk.
Possible symptoms include:
- Difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder
- A weak flow when you urinate
- A feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
- Dribbling urine after you finish urinating
- Needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night
- A sudden need to urinate – you may sometimes leak urine before you get to the toilet
If you do notice changes in the way you urinate, this is more likely to be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which is very common and non-cancerous.
But it’s still a good idea to get it checked out.
In the UK, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
Some factors may mean you’re more likely to get it.
This includes:
- Getting older – it mainly affects men aged 50 or over
- Having a family history of prostate cancer
- Being Black
If you have any of these risk factors or if you have any symptoms, speak to your GP.
They can talk to you about your risk and about the tests that are used to diagnose prostate cancer.
Source: Prostate Cancer UK
They have launched a fundraiser to help pay for private treatment, specialist consultations, travel to and from hospital appointments, and day-to-day living costs.
To date, they have raised more than £4,600 on GoFundMe.
“This treatment represents a chance not only to slow the progression of Damian’s cancer and give us more time together as a family, but also to protect and support our daughters’ future, emotionally and financially, for as long as possible,” Dagmara said.
“Any donation, no matter how small, would mean more than we can ever express. If you are unable to donate, sharing this page would also make a huge difference.
“We are so grateful for the kindness and support we have already been shown and for anyone other help offered offered us during this incredibly difficult time.”
One in eight men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives, charities say. More than 52,000 men in Britain are diagnosed each year.
But thousands are diagnosed once it has already spread, making it the second most common cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer .
Experts are in agreement that early detection is key to boosting survival rates.
Unlike other forms of cancer – which can be very difficult to diagnose in their early stages – prostate cancer has a relatively effective screening method.
PSA tests that indicates the prostate is not functioning as it should.
The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, with most cases , the NHS says.
A high PSA score is not always a sign of cancer — it can also be triggered by an enlarged prostate, an infection, by sexual activity or even riding a bike.
However, patients with high results are the cause.
But the majority of men under 50 do not have their PSA tested unless they have symptoms.
Charities have been advocating for years to – particularly for men with underlying risk factors.
Symptoms of the disease include needing to urinate more often, having to wait longer before you can pass urine, erectile dysfunction, blood in urine, weight loss or any new and unexplained lower back pain.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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