MEN don't tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Whereas women feel comfortable sharing their concerns with family and friends, men find it more difficult to open up about their feelings, particularly personal issues such as their health.

When issues arise they are more likely to ignore the signs and symptoms in the hope they will go away, but with prostate problems it is imperative to seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Putting it into perspective, an early diagnosis would give a man 90 per cent chance of survival for more than 10 years. A late diagnosis, when the disease - which can be hereditary - has already spread to stage 4, means a mere 30 per cent chance of survival for more than five.

Since being diagnosed with prostate cancer in September last year, Paul Mackie has been on a mission to raise awareness about a disease he didn't even know he had.

The 54-year-old, from Menston, is fit and healthy so had no reason to suspect he had prostate cancer. He didn't even suffer any symptoms. It was his wife Paula who encouraged him to go for a check-up.

"My brother-in-law had been diagnosed with prostate cancer 12 months earlier and my wife said 'go and get yourself checked.' Eventually I went and that was the start of the process," recalls Paul.

He had a PSA test, a simple blood test which measures the total amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. A raised level can indicate a problem with the prostate, but not necessarily prostate cancer.

Paul's was slightly raised but initially not thought to be of any concern, although he was asked to have a re-test six weeks later which showed it had slightly increased. He also had an internal examination but nothing pointed to prostate cancer.

However, due to the slight elevation in the second test, Paul was sent to St James' Hospital in Leeds for further investigation and it was following further tests he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"Your world turns upside down - that was the start of my journey," he says.

In November he underwent a radical prostatectomy. The five hour operation, to remove Paul's prostate, was conducted through robotic surgery.

Fortunately the cancer was contained in the prostate so Paul didn't need any follow-up treatment, but he is still having regular check-ups and has made it his mission to speak out about his experience.

Since sharing his own story with pals in the local pub, many of them have confided that they too have battled with the disease. "The day I got diagnosed a mate of mine came into the pub and I said 'I've just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.' He said 'I've just had mine removed.' He helped me through the journey I was about to go on.

"Now I know probably 300 blokes who have now been to get tested on the back of me talking about it, not just through the pub but the rugby club, people in business and in my business," says Paul, who is the president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce and chairman of Rex Procter & Partners, quantity surveyors and construction consultants in Bradford, Leeds and London.

Prostate Cancer UK is the chosen charity his company is supporting: "It (prostate cancer) is an absolute bombshell that is happening and we have got to get that message out there," says Paul.

'Men United' launched by Prostate Cancer UK 12 months ago, calls for men to unite and support each other in the awareness of a cancer that will affect one in eight of them in their lives.

"The whole thing about Men United is to get people like me that have gone through this journey to talk to people, blokes in the pub, to say 'go and get tested. All it is is a blood test. Once you have had that you know if you've got something to address," says Paul.

In Yorkshire and the Humber more than 3,390 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and almost 900 lose their lives to the disease every year.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, says: "Prostate Cancer UK's aim is to beat prostate cancer. Men United is the movement that will help us achieve this.

"The more men who get behind Men United, the more men Prostate Cancer UK will be able to call upon to push forward real change and have a greater impact on men's health throughout the UK, from more effective testing to better treatments.

"We've made some good strides with addressing the injustice around prostate cancer, but with one man an hour still dying of the disease, there is a long way to go."

For more information about Men United visit prostatecanceruk.org. To find out more about the signs and symptoms visit nhs.uk