How a routine PSA test helped save my life
Feeling perfectly well, Simon Harvey almost skipped a PSA test — a simple decision that led to early diagnosis and a life saved
When Simon Harvey of the Fellowship and Unity Lodge No. 8680 dropped into a PSA screening session run by CHAPS (The Men’s Health Charity) and supported by Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex, he genuinely did not expect anything to come of it.
There was no dramatic reason for going. He had been working from home that day. A few friends mentioned they were attending. He had a gap between calls. He felt completely fine — no symptoms, no warning signs, nothing to suggest that anything might be wrong. So, he thought, “Why not?”
After a friendly chat with volunteers, he gave a small tube of blood for a PSA test and went home thinking little more about it.
The first turning point
The moment everything changed came when his results showed elevated PSA levels for his age.
“That was the first moment it felt real,” he reflects.
Following advice from CHAPS, Simon contacted his GP. What followed was a steady, step-by-step journey through further testing: another PSA test, a digital rectal examination, and then an MRI scan. The MRI revealed an area of concern, and a biopsy was scheduled under local anaesthetic.
Only afterwards did Simon discover that many men have biopsies under general anaesthetic — something he now fully understands. It is not, he says wryly, an experience you would volunteer to repeat.
Yet the procedure itself was not the hardest part. The waiting was.
The time between biopsy and results proved nerve-racking — that quiet stretch where life continues as normal on the surface, but uncertainty hums constantly underneath.
Hearing the word no one wants to hear
Being told you have cancer is frightening at any age.
For Simon, the shock was tempered by one crucial factor: it had been caught early. Despite having no symptoms at all, the cancer was identified at a stage where it could be closely monitored. He was placed on active surveillance, with regular PSA checks to track any change.
Life, in many ways, continued as before. The strange thing was that he still felt completely well.
But in October 2024, his consultant asked him to come in. The cancer had moved and enlarged. It was time to consider definitive treatment.
Radiotherapy was not recommended due to his age, and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) was not suitable. After careful discussions with his wife and a thorough weighing up of risks and benefits, Simon chose to undergo a full robotic prostatectomy.
A new chapter
The surgery in early 2025 went extremely well. Simon speaks warmly of the exceptional care he received from surgeons and nursing staff alike.
At his first post-operative check-up, his PSA reading was almost undetectable — less than 0.006. It was an extraordinary moment of relief.
Three-monthly PSA tests followed. Then, in February 2026, came another milestone: twelve months of clear results since surgery. His consultant reduced his testing schedule to six-monthly checks.
For Simon, that reduction felt like more than just a clinical adjustment. It was a sign of moving forward.
“Twelve months clear — and now on six-monthly testing,” he says with quiet gratitude.
The message that matters
Looking back, Simon is clear about one thing: none of this would have happened — at least not in time — without that first PSA screening session.
Without CHAPS, his cancer would not have been detected so early. Without early detection, the outcome could have been very different.
He had no symptoms. No pain. No warning.
That is why he feels compelled to share his experience.
“Don’t wait for symptoms. I had none. If my story encourages even one man to get tested and potentially saves a life, then sharing it has been worth it.”
It is an upbeat message born of a difficult journey — one that underlines the extraordinary value of early detection and the power of community initiatives supported by Essex Freemasons.
One quick test. One ordinary day. One decision that made all the difference.
Early detection truly saved his life — and it could save others too.
About CHAPS
Founded in 2000 by Professor Chris Booth, a retired Urological Surgeon, CHAPS is a registered charity dedicated to advocacy for men’s health in general and prostate cancer in particular, ensuring men have the knowledge and resources needed to live longer and healthier lives.
CHAPS provides free PSA testing for men who may fall outside NHS routine testing criteria, helping to identify potential issues at an early and more treatable stage.
Through partnership with the Freemasons, thousands of men have accessed early detection screening that could otherwise have been missed.
Early detection really does save lives.
Find out more about upcoming CHAPS screening events: www.chaps.uk.com/events
Photos show Simon including his wife Louise
