Tim Driscoll, an electrician, from Pontprennau was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015. As part of his treatment, Tim enrolled on the Stampede trial at Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. Clinical trials don’t guarantee a positive outcome for patients, but fortunately for Tim, Stampede has kept his cancer under control.
Tim said, “Cancer doesn’t run in my family and so when the first signs began to appear it never crossed my mind that it could be cancer. I first went to the GP when I developed pain in my joints and my back. Little did I know then, but the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes around my kidney and bladder and was putting pressure on them. After six months of GP visits my cancer was finally diagnosed by a blood test.
“Enrolling on the STAMPEDE trial has helped me feel like I’m giving back. Knowing my experience on the trial will help inform treatments for future patients gives me a real sense of satisfaction. It also means that I have more regular check ups than I would do if I was having standard treatment – it feels like a bit of a safety net, knowing that someone is keeping a close eye on me.”
To show his gratitude Tim is using his artistic talents to raise funds for Prostate Cymru and Velindre. Tim regularly draws caricatures of celebrities especially Welsh rugby players, a sport that he is hugely passionate about. Each caricature takes around two to three hours to complete to be of the highest quality. Tim’s artwork is mostly done by hand but he has recently started using digital programmes as well. Tim has been lucky to meet some of the subjects he has drawn and had some of his art signed.