South Cave man Paul Leighton is raising funds and awareness after his shock diagnosis
Paul Leighton is getting back in the saddle after a heart attack and surprise prostate cancer diagnosis(Image: Paul Leighton)
An East Yorkshire man inspired to get tested for prostate cancer by Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy said he was blindsided by the results. Paul Leighton, 66, from South Cave was “fairly confident” he did not have cancer, but had a family history due to his dad being diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 70.
Paul’s only symptom was that he’d wake up at 6am to go to the toilet, which he said is “not that unusual as you get older”. Going to the doctor’s was normally a “last resort” for Paul, but he requested a PSA test from his GP on the back of Sir Chris’ campaigning, and the sad news the pro-cyclist’s cancer was now graded Stage 4 and terminal.
This blood test, provided by the NHS, can be requsted by all men over 50, even if they do not have symptoms of prostate cancer. Paul received his result and thought it “wasn’t too bad”.
However, due to his family history, Paul was sent for a biopsy, as well as an MRI which came back clear. “At this time, I was fairly confident that the test would come back negative,” he said.
In January 2025, Paul received his biopsy result and learned – despite his lack of obvious symptoms – he did have prostate cancer. “I grew up in a time when there was a big fear of cancer, so it wasn’t great news,” Paul said.
He said he has Sir Chris to thank that his cancer was caught early. In turn, he hopes to raise awareness and help save lives himself, which is why he is taking part in Sir Chris’ fundraising charity bike ride Tour De 4 in September for Prostate Cancer UK.
Paul said: “I am expecting this to be a hard challenge due to my age and fitness level. I have enjoyed short bike rides in the past when our children enjoyed mountain biking.
“However I haven’t been on a bike for a couple of years, so I need to spend some time increasing my fitness level and biking skills. I also need to find a comfortable bike seat.”
An added complication is that, just 10 months after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Paul had a serious heart attack in November 2025 and had stents fitted. Despite this, he is committed to taking on the tough 56.7 mile cycling route in Scotland, which includes a notorious climb known as Tak Ma Doon.
On his fundraising page, Paul wrote: “The event is about showing that a diagnosis does not define a person, and highlighting what life with Stage 4 cancer can look like: strength, resilience and determination.”
Paul’s fundraiser for Prostate Cancer UK can be found here.
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