'Men need to check themselves regularly for lumps and bumps - they can't be shy'

A MAN diagnosed with breast cancer says men must not be shy about going to their GP.

- By JENNY SEYMOUR

Now cancer-free, bowls enthusiast Neil Munro-Thomson, wants to raise awareness and support charity Cancer Research UK, saying he wouldn't be here without the research it has done.

Neil, from Caterham, is inviting people to join him at a taster event at his club, Caterham Bowling Club, this weekend as part of 'Bowls' Big Weekend, a collaboration between Bowls England and Cancer Research UK.

Neil, 77, a retired structural engineer, was diagnosed with cancer in September 2024. He is also partially disabled, with little or no cartilage in either knee, meaning he cannot fully bend his legs.

But despite these obstacles, he has found ways to continue playing.

He is now sharing his story to encourage people - especially men - to go to the doctor if they find anything suspicious. And to let people know there are coaches and aids to help you play bowls if you are disabled.

The first sign of Neil's cancer was a lump he felt in his chest.

"I immediately went to the GP and was sent to the hospital for scans and ultrasound checks and was given a biopsy.