Matt Cullen's Story

"Blokes think it won’t happen to them": Father and firefighter diagnosed at 42 urges others to test early for prostate cancer

“Cancer isn’t a dirty word,” Matt Cullen stresses.

At just 42, Cheshire-based firefighter Matt heard these words echo through his own life when he was diagnosed – and now he’s using them to educate others this Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Matt was fit, active, had no signs or symptoms at all at the time of his diagnosis. He admits, like many people, he felt immortal and believed cancer wouldn’t affect him.

But when he booked a routine health assessment with Bluecrest, a red flag appeared in his results. His PSA score, an important measure for prostate cancer risk, was elevated at 4.8g/ml – above the normal range for men under 50.

At first, Matt didn’t fully register what this meant. He had scanned through his readings and had only raised the PSA concern when speaking with his parents – a decision that proved vitally important.

My parents explained what PSA meant in the context. Considering my dad had also been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it meant it was time for me to speak to a specialist, Matt says.

Matt followed up with a phone call to his GP. At first, it was assumed that Matt’s elevated PSA was potentially linked to his lifestyle and cycling activity.

But shortly afterwards, he received call back, with the GP expressing concerns about Matt’s family history of prostate cancer.

According to Prostate Cancer UK, men are two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer if their father or brother has had it. [1]

“I was sent for MRI imaging. They found a microscopic cancer cell on the left-hand side of my prostate,” he says. “My prostate was the size of a Malteser, so it wasn’t large, which links into the no signs or symptoms.”

He recalls being sat down by his GP and told about the diagnosis – a poignantly emotional moment. He was told that if he hadn’t detected the cancer so early, his health would be severely deteriorated by the time his young children turn 25.

“It was like someone just hit me with a hook,” Matt says.

But because the cancer had been detected before symptoms developed, surgery was offered with curative intent, meaning Matt could avoid radiotherapy or other more invasive treatments later down the line.

That early detection had proved vital, and within 10 weeks, Matt had moved diagnosis to surgery and had even returned back to work in the fire service.

Since surgery, Matt has spoken at fire events, sporting matches, and awareness days, working with Prostate Cancer UK to share his personal experience. His own children also get involved, as Matt wants to ensure they learn from his journey.

“The younger one, he wears that Prostate Cancer UK badge every day. He knows that it’s [prostate cancer] put me down, but he’s seen me get back up. Now for me, it’s awareness, awareness, awareness. If one person gets tested, then my job is done.”

Matt is particularly determined to challenge men’s mindsets around prostate cancer, with about 1 in 8 men diagnosed over the course of their lifetime. [1]

He believes that the mindset of immortality can stop men from getting checked. “Blokes will say, ‘I’ve got no pain, it doesn’t affect me. And they think cancer is a dirty word.’”

But Matt’s message is simple. “Get tested early. My health assessment saved my life.”

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References

• Prostate Cancer UK. Are you at risk? Available at: https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information-and-support/risk-and-symptoms/are-you-at-risk. Accessed: Feb 2026