But he was wrong, the male dominant cancer doesn’t discriminate, youth doesn’t guarantee safety from the ever growing disease. 

Raising awareness among other men and collecting funds to donate to two important prostate  cancer organisations were at the core of two fundraisers the Scone father of two hosted on the weekend. 

The first was a Family Bowls Day on Saturday which raised funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and the second was a Charity Golf Day for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. 

A total $2125 was raised,  which will be donated to the two causes. 

It was Mr Wallace’s own experience that motivated him to hold the events as he was diagnosed with prostate cancer on December 4 last year at the age of 43.

Mr Wallace’s cancer was detected through a routine Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test that he encourages every man aged over 40 to have every 12 months. 

Due to early detection, the cancer had not spread and after an operation in January and follow up, Mr Wallace was given the all clear two weeks ago. 

Mr Wallace said he was shocked when the prostate cancer was detected. 

“At my age I just assumed it wouldn’t be cancer, but it can happen at any age.

“Men need to be more pro-active about their health and get checked.

“Women are pro-active about their health, but us men tend to take the ‘she’ll be right’, invisible, ‘it’ll never happen to me’ approach,” Mr Wallace said. 

“Coming out the other side I want to do whatever I can to get other men to do what I’ve done so they get the chance to spend the rest of their life with their family.”

With the Hunter having one of the highest percentage of men in a region with prostate cancer, the greater the awareness the better.

“If we can get the same awareness of prostate cancer as there is of breast cancer, we can save more lives,” Mr Wallace said. 

“Different organisations are trying to raise that awareness in the hope of getting the same survival rate.”