Two brothers who underwent prostate cancer surgery within weeks of each other are urging men with a family history of prostate cancer to get tested.

David and Robert Taylor underwent robotic radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate gland) at the Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath last year.

Robert, 67, from Saltford, near Bath, underwent surgery in July, while David, 70, from Midsomer Norton, underwent surgery just weeks later in September.

“You’re more likely to get prostate cancer if you have a family history of that type of cancer,” David says. “If this is you, please make an appointment with your GP and get tested.”

Robert was having a check-up with his GP when he was advised to have a blood test to check the condition of his prostate.

“My numbers came back high so I was immediately referred to RUH,” he said.

“I talked to my brother about it and he decided to get tested.”

David said: “Both my father and uncle had prostate cancer, so when Robert was tested and his levels were high, I decided to get tested too.

He added: “My reading comprehension was also good, so I was quickly referred to RUH, just like Robert.”

More works from Bristol

The brothers’ surgeries were performed using RUH’s surgical robot Da Vinci.

RUH said that because the robot is so precise, the recovery time from the surgery was very short.

This allowed Robert to go home on the day of surgery and David to stay at RUH for just one night.

“It was incredible to think that I had just had major surgery and that I would be able to go home the same day,” Robert said.

Follow BBC Bristol facebook, × and Instagram. Send your story ideas via email or via WhatsApp 0800 313 4630.

More about this story

Related internet links