'My husband showed no symptoms of prostate cancer'

1 day ago

Alex McIntyre,West Midlandsand

Lee Blakeman,BBC Radio Stoke

News image — Peter Bowler, pictured with wife Karen, died about seven years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer

Karen Bowler A woman wearing a white hat, a necklace and a white dress, smiles as she stands next to a man wearing a suit, which consists of a black jacket, black waistcoat, pink shirt and purple tie. They are standing on a porch, between two white statues. Chairs and a window can be seen behind them. — Peter Bowler, pictured with wife Karen, died about seven years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer

When Karen Bowler's late husband was first diagnosed with prostate cancer, she said he had initially shown no obvious symptoms.

Peter Bowler, from Stone, Staffordshire, was diagnosed with the disease in early 2018 and died in 2025, at the age of 66.

"Pete never had any symptoms of anything, he hadn't felt poorly," his widow told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We had been out with the children to do just a general shop. My daughter just made a comment that she thought her dad was a bit miserable."

Karen said her daughter booked an appointment for him, where he had a blood test and was found to have a prostate-specific antigen reading of 247 – typically, it should be less than three.

The family later found out his prostate cancer was at stage four, meaning it had spread to his lymph nodes.

"We cried a lot. We didn't understand really what was going on," said Karen, who is now encouraging other men to get tested.

'Trouble the doctor'

During the seven years Pete was being treated, he also helped to set up free prostate cancer screening events for men aged over 40.

Bowler said her husband was the kind of person who would just carry on despite not feeling 100% and probably suspecting there was an underlying condition.

"He was one of those people who would put everybody else first, no matter what," she said. "I think he just got on with it until he got diagnosed and then the situation changed.

"Anytime anybody asked him how he was, his reply was always 'I'm absolutely fine'. I knew he wasn't and I knew he worried about what was going on."

She urged men to "trouble the doctor" or make sure they got tested if they had any symptoms, adding that organising the free screening events had helped her "immensely".

Carole Godden A woman with short grey hair, glasses and a blue top smiles as she takes a selfie. She is sitting in a room and behind her is a white wall with three framed pictures on it. — Carole Godden, of Stoke-on-Trent Lions, said the screenings were "so important"

The next event offering prostate screening for up to 500 men who are more than 40 years old will take place at the Bet365 Stadium on 24 September.

Carole Godden, of Stoke-on-Trent Lions Club which has organised the event alongside Burslem Rotary, said it was a "simple blood test" and did not involve any kind of invasive procedure.

She said the events were "so important", adding: "I think men are a bit reticent generally at coming forward for any kind of treatment or investigation.

"It is such a simple test and I just pray that Pete could've had the opportunity to have a test because it was too late for him."

Anyone who wishes to book a place at the screening event can find more information on the Stoke-on-Trent Lions Club website.

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