Trim man who received shock prostate cancer diagnosis urges men to get tested

A TRIM man who was left shocked after a routine blood test revealed he had prostate cancer is encouraging other men to get tested in a bid to save lives.

Robbie Connell was 52 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after a blood test from a testing initiative funded by a local company came back slightly raised in September 2019.

The Trim resident shares that getting tested was the ‘last thing’ he thought of doing as he had no symptoms, which made his official diagnosis on 6th November a shock.

“When you’ve been given a diagnosis, that is one of the things you see on the telly thinking that will never be me," said Robbie.

"You’re sitting there and the doctor is giving bad news and you have no concept of what is going on," he added.

“It felt like a haze. My wife Aisling was with me, and she has since had her own cancer diagnosis. The first reaction isn’t ‘oh shit, woe is me’ but how it is going to affect everyone around me.”

Robbie says he was most worried about his mother as they lost his father to cancer, suspected to have developed from prostate cancer, who was the same age as him when he received his diagnosis.

On 3rd January, Robbie underwent an operation to remove his prostate remaining in hospital for a day and a half.

“That was when the struggle starts, after you have had it [the surgery] done and are dealing with the effects," he said.

Now 58, he is motivated by his experience to advocate for cancer awareness, which includes raising funds for Movember as his way ‘to give back.’

In Ireland, one in six men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, making it one of the most diagnosed cancers in men. Even though 3,400 men in Ireland are diagnosed with it, 93 per cent of men are alive five years after, and early detection with access to effective treatments has a considerable impact.

Robbie is motivated to make a difference by encouraging men to take up the opportunity to get tested. He finds that as a former fire officer and through his relatability with other men that his story resonates.

“If I can get it, you can get it,” is one of his calls to action.

However, he believes that the reluctance for men to get tested comes from a lack of knowledge about their health.

“I am kind of surprised by the amount of men who say, ‘I was down at the doctors, they said I have a high blood sugar and told me to do this diet,’ and when I ask if they are sticking to it, they aren’t,” he shares. “It is ignorance that men don’t look after themselves.”

Health inequalities are avoidable and unfair differences in health access and quality of care across populations, including in prostate cancer. Movember is addressing the gaps in outcomes for men by improving targeted outreach, seeking to educate and empower historically excluded communities from those living regionally to the unique needs of under-represented groups.

In 2025, the global men’s health charity is proud to announce Ireland will receive €200,000 to be invested into a programme with the University Hospital of Limerick, which will focus on Midwest Ireland’s population of men aged 60 plus with prostate cancer by addressing their unmet needs by creating an evidence-based and stakeholder informed care pathway.

Sarah Weller, Global Director of Prostate Cancer at Movember said: "A huge thank you to Robbie for sharing his story. We're proud to partner with the University Hospital of Limerick and their work supporting Midwest Ireland's men with prostate cancer by addressing their needs and helping reduce health disparities.

"Our community partnerships are a key component of Movember's work to identify important gaps in cancer outcomes and to inform meaningful interventions and strategies.

“These comprehensive efforts will aim to ensure that all people in Ireland and around the world with a prostate have access to essential information, support, and treatment.”

Additionally, Movember has funded the Irish Prostate Cancer Outcomes Research (IPCOR) initiative, which has transformed prostate cancer care and research in Ireland by focusing on empowering patients.

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health on a global scale. The charity raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs that enable men to live happier, healthier, and longer lives.

“Committed to disrupting the status quo, millions have joined the movement, helping fund over 1,300 projects focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer,” says Sarah.

“In addition to tackling key health issues faced by men, Movember is working to encourage men to stay healthy in all areas of their life, with a focus on men staying socially connected and becoming more open to discussing their health and significant moments in their lives.

“The charity’s vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health.”

To donate or learn more, please visit ie.movember.com