Man whose swollen knee turned out to be stage four prostate cancer ‘heartbroken’ he won’t grow old with his wife

A man diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer after having a swollen knee says he does not know how long he has left and is “heartbroken” about not growing old with his wife, but is determined to “live each day fully”.

Kevin Hurley, a 61-year-old retired heating engineer, first experienced chest pains in 2018 but was reassured they were “nothing to worry about” after an electrocardiogram (ECG) scan did not show any abnormalities.

In May 2021 he developed a swollen knee, and this along with high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels led to him being diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in the same month.

He was told he had two to five years to live but after a few weeks of processing the news, Kevin decided to change his mindset, focusing on his friends, family and his love of cycling.

He underwent hormone therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, keeping the cancer from progressing through 2022.

However, by 2024 the hormone therapy had stopped working and the cancer became active again at a cellular level.

He is on a new form of hormone treatment but said he does not know how long it will remain effective, or how much time he has left – he is now coming up to the five-year anniversary of his diagnosis, and his PSA levels are “undetectable”.

Kevin, who lives in Newbury, Berkshire, with his wife Gillian, 62, told PA Real Life: “I always thought my wife and I would be looking after each other into old age – it’s just heart-breaking.

“We spent weeks crying in each other’s arms after my diagnosis.

“I don’t know how long I’ve got left but in many ways, my life is better now than before – I appreciate everyone and everything around me more than ever.

“If you have a limited amount of time left it’s important to not waste that time – I don’t want to spend my final days fighting something, cancer is in my body and is part of me.

“I’m being positive every day – I let myself cry if I need to but I’m doing well.

In 2018, Kevin began experiencing chest pains, but an ECG showed no apparent issues.

Over the following years, the pains persisted, although he did not think they were “anything to worry about”.

In late April 2021, his knee became swollen but it “did not ring any alarm bells” as he assumed it was a cycling injury.

When the swelling failed to subside, he saw a physiotherapist in early May 2021, who advised him to visit his GP.

His doctor believed it could be a circulation problem and he had a blood test later that day at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

This is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which a blood clot, usually from the leg, lodges in a lung artery and blocks blood flow.

The following day, he attended the hospital’s ambulatory department for an ultrasound.

“It started on my knee, but when it got to the left of my stomach, the person doing it called in a more senior doctor to review it,” he said.

“I knew things were looking a bit dodgy at that point.”

He then underwent X-rays and an MRI scan and doctors found a swollen lymph node in his abdomen that was restricting circulation to his leg, causing his knee to swell.

Kevin later had a biopsy, a digital examination and another blood test.

This revealed his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were extremely high – he said they were over 5,000, when they should be below 4.

On May 29, he was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer and due to Covid restrictions, he received the news alone in a hospital room.

Doctors also confirmed that his pulmonary embolism and earlier chest pains had been side-effects of the cancer.

“It was like being hit by a sledgehammer,” he explained.

“It obviously had no effect – the number wasn’t going to change.

“Before, I felt fairly indestructible, and then all of a sudden I realised I was going to die.”

Kevin was immediately started on blood thinners for his pulmonary embolism.

He also began hormone therapy to block testosterone in an effort to slow the cancer’s growth.

After processing the news for a few weeks, he decided to change his outlook and focus on the positives in his life, not letting cancer “bring him down”.

He set himself “rules to live by”, including making the most of every day.

“For me, true happiness comes from spending time with family and friends, and I want to make other people happy,” he said.

He helped launch a tandem cycling project with his local cycling club, taking blind teenagers and adults out on rides with a sighted partner.

In autumn 2021, he started chemotherapy, undergoing six sessions three weeks apart.

He chose to wear a cold cap to reduce hair loss, as he was still working and wanted to keep his interactions “as normal as possible”.

In spring 2022, he began radiotherapy and a follow-up scan showed the cancer had not progressed, but there were also no signs of shrinkage.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, his PSA levels also remained low.

However, in early 2024 they began to rise, indicating the hormone therapy was no longer effective.

During 2024, several scans showed no visible cancer – only scarring on the pelvic bone where it had been.

“That was amazing, but it wasn’t the same as being cured – my rising PSA levels meant the cancer was becoming active again at a cellular level,” he explained.

“It could work for eight months, it could work for years – we just don’t know,” he said.

In May 2026 a follow-up appointment revealed his PSA levels were “undetectable” and May 29 will mark five years since his diagnosis.

“I’m going to make it past the time they gave me, I’m doing really well,” he said.

He attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May in recognition of his work helping blind cyclists, which he said “meant a great deal”.

Kevin is also due to take part in the Tour De 4 – Sir Chris Hoy’s bike ride for people impacted by cancer – for a second time later this year, to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.

Kevin added: “I can’t wait to do it again, it’s an amazing thing to be a part of.

“I also just want to thank my wife, she’s been there for me throughout it all and I couldn’t do anything without her by my side.”

To donate to his fundraiser, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/my-tour-de-4-2026-fundraiser-to-fight-cancer-85n4e