A PROSTATE cancer survivor says he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the upper dale who supported his fundraising drive to help combat the disease.
Barry Meeson and his wife Jacky raised more than £5,400 for Prostate Cancer UK through a charity domino drive at Middleton-in-Teesdale Sports and Social Club in February.
The Newbiggin resident was diagnosed after a routine check-up in November 2022.
After undergoing four weeks of radiotherapy at James Cook University Hospital he was eventually given the all-clear.
More than 100 people turned out at the domino drive which featured a wealth of raffle and auction prizes from local businesses.
Mr Meeson, who farmed at Harwood for four decades, said the evening was as much about raising cash to fight the disease as it was about raising awareness.
He added: “It was overwhelming. There were people turning up saying ‘I haven’t seen you for a few years Barry I didn’t know about this (diagnosis)’. It was emotional.
“We had books [about prostate cancer] on every table and I had one guy come back and say ‘I didn’t know your prostate did all this and has all this influence on your body’.
“I went round all night trying to meet and greet people and saying, ‘now listen lads, go and get your PSA checked, just do it’.”
The Meesons were informed by officials at the online fundraising platform justgiving.com that the amount raised was in the top one cent of campaigns for Prostate Cancer UK undertaken through the website.
