‘Is any risk worth taking if it ends with your life?’

Peter Rowe FCIOB shared his experience of prostate cancer and explained why a simple blood test could save your life. 

Great advice from Mr Rowe, with which I completely concur. I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer back in August 2024, at the age of 62, and chose radical robotic surgery to remove the offending gland. 

I had no obvious symptoms to suggest cancer, other than about nine months prior to diagnosis, I found that, on occasion, when I needed to urinate I really had to go, there and then. I visited my GP with these symptoms and, only “as a precaution”, they checked my prostate, in the time-honoured way, and carried out a PSA blood test. 

The PSA score was 8.7, which led on to an MRI scan, which confirmed the likelihood of cancer; and a biopsy that ultimately confirmed the presence; and so on to surgery. 

My mother died from breast cancer, and my sister is in remission from both breast and kidney cancer. I have been told that maternal breast cancer can be associated with prostate cancer. 

So, lads, please take up Mr Rowe’s advice and insist that your medical professional arranges a PSA test on your behalf. They may say you’re a low risk, but is any risk worth taking if it ends with your life?

David Rees

Rosalind Thorpe, CIOB’s director of education and standards, discussed the new CPD Policy for members, which replaces a points-based system with an hours-based model.

Do professionals really respond to the need to undertake CPD? Indeed, does anyone in the industry take further development and competence seriously? I am not convinced they do.

Once qualifications have been gained that appears to be the end of a desire to learn any further. One wonders if there is a stigma attached to continuing with the need to learn.

Having worked in the industry all my life, I am only too aware that there is an unbelievable requirement for learning beyond qualification. I have come across many surveyors [for example] who do not understand the basic principles of measurement for reduced level excavations.

As Rosalind Thorpe states, professional competence requires to be addressed now – it’s 2026.

Ken Hubble MCIOB

Leaders from the NHS, Mace and Turner & Townsend spoke to CM about the New Hospital Programme and ambitious plans to drive efficient delivery through industrialisation.

Having worked for a major main contractor, I have serious doubts concerning the industry’s ability to deliver the programme to schedule.

Being practical, the odds of delivering all 46 hospitals to programme is zero, directly impacting on the schedule for the later follow-on schemes.

Trevor Williams

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