LEGENDARY commentator and Warrington native Eddie Hemmings has shared his eye-opening cancer story.

It comes as a prostate awareness testing event will be held at the Halliwell Jones Stadium tomorrow, Saturday, which he describes as a ‘crucial’ initiative.

You can book a blood test between 10am and 2pm via mypsatests.org.uk/Events/?ba1a600f-89a5-4082-ba1e-741391a7ea5e

Hemmings, known to thousands as the voice of Sky Sports’ rugby league coverage for decades, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2013.

The Appleton resident sat down with Warrington Wolves’ director of rugby Gary Chambers to discuss cancer in the hope of raising vital awareness.

On his diagnosis, Hemmings said: “It was a hell of a shock, I must say. I was 61 or 62 and had a thing on my shoulder after coming back from holiday that was constantly leaking or bleeding.

“I went to see my GP at Westbrook Medical Centre and he dug this thing out of my shoulder and stitched it up and everything.

“He was looking down the computer and said I hadn’t had a blood test forever.

“I said no and he said, let’s get a blood test from you and we’ll see where you are and how you stand.

Hemmings sat down with Wires director of rugby Gary Chambers. Picture: Warrington Wolves

Hemmings sat down with Wire's director of rugby Gary Chambers. Picture: Warrington Wolves

“I said fine, perfect, so I went off and gave a vial of blood out of my arm, sent it away, rang up a week later and the receptionist said ‘no further action required’.”

The icon said this was ‘music to everyone’s ears’, but then he asked some further questions about his cholesterol level on his blood count.

“She said it was a bit high, and I asked what the PSA level for the prostate was, and she said that was a bit high as well,” he continued.

“I asked if she could make me an appointment, and that is how it started. I had no symptoms whatsoever – not getting up four times a night or anything like that.

“The path then opened up, and after about five or six or seven weeks of tests, I went to see a urologist at Spire Cheshire Hospital in Stretton.

“He said this was the nasty part of his job as he had to tell me I had cancer. I nearly fell in a heap thinking ‘impossible, really?’.”

Hemmings said he had three options – do nothing, watch and wait; go and have radiotherapy or go and have the prostate removed.

“I didn’t fancy the last one so I said I would watch and wait, and every night I went to sleep, the last thought in my head was ‘jeez I have cancer’,” he said.

“I woke up in the morning and thought ‘I’ve got cancer’, and so after another six or eight weeks I rang up and said I think I should do something about this.

“My PSA level started really low, about five or six, which was the indicator something was slightly wrong and something was happening, and in the space of those three or four weeks it went to seven and eight.

“I said I think we ought to do something about this, went to Clatterbridge Hospital, and 32 sessions of radiotherapy later I was back in the commentary box with Sky on the opening day of the season.

“Had I not asked those three questions 12 years ago, I might not be sitting here now today.

“It is a silent killer – nobody knows what on earth is going on, and you get the test and you can do something about it – and it is vital, absolutely vital.

“That is why this initiative here is so crucial.”

Prostate cancer usually develops slowly, so there may be no signs for many years.

One in eight men will get prostate cancer. If you are over 50, are black or your dad or brother had it, you are at an even higher risk.

Prostate cancer is not always life-threatening. But when it is, the earlier you catch it, the more likely it is to be cured.

For more information, speak to your GP, visit the NHS website or visit prostatecanceruk.org