Tim Weale shares prostate cancer story

An inspiring Sydney dad who is fighting for his life while living it fully has revealed how his journey with stage four cancer has changed how he sees the world.

Tim Weale and his family on their trip around Australia. Picture: Supplied

At 44, I was fit, healthy and living a great life when I was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in November 2023.

My wife Bridget and I had just taken our two young kids, Clancy and Maeve, on a dream trip around Australia.

We’re outdoor people, adventure and nature are in our blood, so we finally made good on a long-held dream and went for our “trip of a lifetime” to the top end of Australia.

Looking back, there were signs something was wrong, but I didn’t know what to make of them.

Subtle changes in my body: how I urinated, the consistency of my ejaculate.

Dr Google said it was probably nothing.

I had no history of cancer in my family and I was young and active, so I didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about.

Tim Weale with his wife after having chemo. Picture: Supplied

On the road trip, I had a few odd pains, first in my hip and then my shoulder.

I brushed them off as sleeping on a rock during camping or general wear and tear from all the travel.

They disappeared, so I ignored them, but not long after we returned home, I found blood in my ejaculate, which was something I couldn’t ignore.

My GP ordered some tests.

My PSA, a blood marker for prostate cancer, came back at 64.6 ng/ml.

That’s incredibly high for someone my age; anything above 2.5ng/ml is considered abnormal. Two weeks later, it was 82.9 ng/ml.

Eventually, it peaked at 154 ng/ml.

Tim Weale, right, with his wife out to dinner in May 2024. Picture: Supplied

The cancer had spread to my bones; spine, hips, ribs and two spots in my lungs.

The pains I felt while camping were actually the cancer eating away at my bones.

I was diagnosed right before Christmas, which was incredibly tough.

Having to tell family and friends that this thing was real and serious was very hard.

We still went on our annual New Year’s trip to Red Rock, but I remember sitting there thinking, “What if this is my last one?”

However, I was determined to be back.

Since then, I’ve undergone hormone therapy, radiation and chemotherapy.

I’m now on Darlutamide, a powerful prostate cancer medication that thankfully is now covered by the PBS.

Every three months, I have an injection and blood tests to check my PSA.

Today, it’s down to 0.01.

Throughout all my treatment, I kept working.

I wanted to keep things normal for my family and keep my mind busy.

Tim Weale at chemotherapy. Picture: Supplied

I also kept training.

I lost a lot of weight during the trip, which in hindsight was the cancer.

Once I started treatment, I began lifting weights again.

Studies show that staying active during chemo helps with side effects.

I’d go to the gym, then straight to chemo, then walk the 5km home.

It helped enormously.

I never got that tingling in my hands and feet that some chemo patients experience.

These days, I’ve left my corporate job and become a full time stay-at-home dad with a spot of consulting on the side.

It’s a choice I made and I’m loving it.

I call it my micro-retirement.

My wife can now focus on her career and I get to spend more time with the kids.

I always wanted to and now I can.

I even finally got a boat, something I’ve wanted forever.

It took stage four cancer for that wish to come true!

This journey has changed how I see the world.

I’ve gone from raising profits for shareholders to raising awareness.

I now focus on fundraising and advocacy for “below the belt” cancers.

I want to share my story, not to get sympathy, but to encourage action.

To anyone facing a diagnosis: I believe in what I call the tripod.

First, trust your medical team, they’re the experts.

Second, stay active and move your body even when it’s hard.

Third, bring your best self to everything. Be positive. Be present.

You only get one chance to fight for your life, so show up and give it everything you’ve got.

And this Men’s Health Week (June 9-15), I urge people to get checked by their doctor if anything is out of the ordinary.

Please also check out the work of the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate

Clinical Trials Group, and if you can, donate to their incredible work.