Bernie McDermott was stepping into retirement when he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, at the age of 59.
It was a shocking diagnosis which devastated his family, particularly as there were no real symptoms.
A keen walker, he attributed a nagging right hip ache to arthritis, but his diagnosis would sadly show that the prostate cancer had already advanced. It was in his prostate, the surrounding tissue, his hips, his spine and his ribs.
The former Chief Inspector of the West Mercia Police Force was due to receive chemotherapy when he was introduced to his first grandson, Rory, and it was his arrival that gave the grandfather-of-two hope in his fight against the disease.
鈥淗e was heartbroken about his diagnosis, and I think it was the first time I felt that I had to be the grown up, because there was the man, the rock, the centre of our little family, poorly,鈥 said Bernie鈥檚 daughter, Hayley Yarnley.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 talk about his cancer all the time, but I鈥檇 have debriefs with my dad every so often, and he鈥檇 give me snippets of how he was feeling. Dad wasn鈥檛 one to go full on emotional, but we knew he was scared.
鈥淒espite that, Dad never Googled his diagnosis or how long he might be around for. But he did look up the research. He just knew that breakthroughs were on the way.
鈥淗e鈥檇 say: 鈥楾hey鈥檙e on to something now, Hayley! They鈥檙e almost there!鈥
鈥淗e knew that research would make a difference. He said: 鈥楾here鈥檒l be a cure one day!
鈥溾橳here鈥檒l be a time when they can stop it. It鈥檚 not about me, it won鈥檛 happen in my lifetime - but it鈥檚 for Rory.鈥欌
Two years after Rory鈥檚 arrival, Hayley gave birth once more, this time to a little girl named Lydia, and while Bernie had been able to enjoy the formative years of his grandson鈥檚 life, it was sadly a different story second time around.
But Lydia provided Bernie with some comfort and respite as he continued to fight against a disease that would ultimately take his life.
Hayley added: 鈥淎s Rory got older, his relationship with my dad was exactly what a grandfather and grandson relationship should be.
鈥淢y dad wasn鈥檛 a settle-for-a-handshake kind of a man. He wanted Rory to know how much he loved him. And as for Rory, he鈥檇 always look out for his gran-gran, as he called him, and when he saw him he鈥檇 just sprint to him.
鈥淭wo years later, Lydia came along. By that point, it was very obvious what direction dad鈥檚 prostate cancer was taking him in, and I was with my mum and dad every day.
鈥淪o Lydia was with my dad all the time, and I really think she helped him through those last years.鈥
It was December 2016 when Bernie鈥檚 health began to seriously deteriorate.
The ex-police officer had been enjoying a break with his wife when he returned home from Edinburgh distressed.
鈥淒ad was feeling great, he had a great time at the Christmas market and then he came back on the Friday in severe pain,鈥 Hayley said, recalling the final days of her father鈥檚 life.
鈥淗e managed a night at home and then on Saturday, for the first time in the whole of his cancer journey, I had to call an ambulance.
鈥淭he doctors said he would definitely come home. Dad wrote me a Christmas list, because he was the Christmas shopper and cooker 鈥 that鈥檚 how certain we were.
鈥淏ut they were doing a lot of MRI scans while he was in hospital, and in three days the cancer had spread everywhere.鈥
On Sunday December 18, Bernie slipped into a coma and died just a day later, aged 65.
Prostate cancer kills one man every 45 minutes in the United Kingdom, but Prostate Cancer 海角视频 are aiming to reduce that by half over the next eight years.
鈥淢y dad would be over the moon about the new research that Prostate Cancer 海角视频 are funding,鈥 added Hayley.
鈥淗e鈥檇 be relieved, I think, for the men out there who are sons, dads, granddads, to know that there鈥檚 an opportunity, a chance.
鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what you need when you鈥檙e going up against prostate cancer 鈥 you need hope.鈥
So how can I help?
Prostate Cancer 海角视频 have invested 拢50 million so far in research over the past 20 years.
There's already been some major breakthroughs - but there's more work to be done.
Prostate Cancer 海角视频 predict that 拢120m would see through their strategy to halve deaths from prostate cancer by 2026 - and with your help they can reach that target.
There's a range of fundraising events you can take part in, so whether you want to run, walk, cycle or skydive - or anything else - there's plenty of ways to join the team fighting against prostate cancer.
Visit and sign up to help men, like Bernie, and their families facing prostate cancer.
