Roscommon rugby referee highlights awareness of prostate cancer

A County Roscommon man and rugby referee recently featured on his wife’s podcast, ‘The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast’, about raising awareness about prostate cancer through his personal experiences.

John Fitzmaurice, formerly of Castlerea and now living in Corofin with his wife and two children, was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in June of 2023.

John and his brothers were always wary of the threat prostate cancer posed to them. His family has a history of the disease, as his father passed away from it at the age of 65. The 58-year-old went for regular blood tests and prostate exams, only missing a check-up due to the disruption caused by Covid-19.

Despite feeling healthy, a routine blood test revealed he had alarmingly high rates of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) — an early indication something was wrong. Further MRIs and biopsies confirmed the presence of cancer.

In the face of his diagnosis over a year ago, John remains in high spirits.

“Look, I’m living with cancer, so I’m not clear yet. I’m still in treatment and I will be until early 2026, but my health is good. I have no symptoms, I have no sickness, I’m still refereeing rugby. I feel as fit and healthy as I ever have to be honest,” he reflected positively about his diagnosis.

John recalled his initial diagnosis, and how it did not come as a surprise to him.

“To be honest, you know, I kind of expected it. There were telltale signs. First of all, there was a very strong family history there. My father had prostate cancer, his brothers had prostate cancer. I knew there was always a good chance it could come my way, so I always had my blood tests done.

“It was in March of 2023 that I got the test done. The PSA was very high and I kind of expected it. It wasn’t a confirmed diagnosis until June, but by then all the hints were leading towards that, so it didn’t come as too much of a shock. I suppose the biggest shock was that it was a very aggressive cancer,” he recalled.

In September of last year, John underwent major surgery and began his stringent treatment plan, which included 33 sessions of radiotherapy in a seven-week period, as well as ongoing hormone treatment.

He has not let his treatment inhibit his life, however, and still works alongside refereeing and stewarding for Connacht Rugby.

John, who is a member of Galway Corinthians, talked about how being active in sport has been crucial in keeping a positive attitude during his treatment.

“It’s great for mental health. I think it’s good to have interests outside of work and family and everything, to keep a good balance. It does help your mental health. There’s nothing worse than sitting round wondering and dreading the bad things. To keep active helps you keep positive,” he highlighted.

He remarked that getting through his treatment would not be possible without his wife and family.

“I had my wife there with me (upon the initial diagnosis). We just concentrated on the facts, and what the next steps were, rather than dwelling on the whole process and the possible doom and gloom of that.”

John is encouraging men to get regular check-ups in order to get an early diagnosis.

“I’ve always had it done since I was about 40, I think I only missed one year during Covid. It’s a very simple process, a half an hour once a year with your GP. It’s a simple physical exam, you get a blood test, and that’s it. It’s something simple that can save your life, and it did for me.

“It is important to get the message out there. As I grew up, only for it was in my family I wouldn’t have passed much heed on it, and I probably wouldn’t have been having the tests. There are so many people out there that are not as aware as they should be, so whatever we can do to make everyone aware, it’s for the benefit of all,” he concluded.