Inconsequential moments lead to life changing circumstances

WHILE reflecting on major junctures in your life it's amazing to think how a series of events, as inconsequential as they seemed at the time, led to something pinnacle.

For example, if your slow driving neighbour didn't pull out of their driveway at the same time as you were leaving, you wouldn't have been caught at the red light, which meant you wouldn't have passed through the next intersection as a driver failed to give way, smashing you car!

Champion horseman David Aiken is well aware of how random sliding doors' moments can have life changing results.

Based in Victoria at the time, Aiken's journey began when he decided to make the trip home to attend the 2023 Miracle Mile at Club Menangle - the initial inconsequential stage within his pending sequence.

Catching up with various friends throughout the evening, Aiken stopped for a chat with Dan Westwood, during which time he asked how the latter's father, Greg, was as he battled prostate cancer - the second inconsequential stage within his pending sequence.

"Greg is a long time friend, who ended up a steward, so when I saw Dan, who also became a steward, I asked how his Dad is going," Aiken recalled. "We talked about what he was going through and then went our separate way."

The following morning as he travelled back to Melbourne, Aiken's 'over reacting' wife Colleen decided she was booking him in for a prostate examination - the third inconsequential stage within his pending sequence.

"When Colleen said 'I'll book you in for a test' I thought what's the point...I'm fit, well and have no symptoms," Aiken explained. "I figured it was a waste of time, but did it anyway."

To Aiken's shock, the examination results were alarming and required urgent attention.

In fact, if those inconsequential events didn't occur, Aiken wouldn't be here to tell his story.

"My PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) came back at 14 and should be one or under," Aiken said. "They said if I didn't have the scan at the time, even if it was as little as two months later, I would've gone a lot further downhill.

"They got the ball rolling with an ultrasound and biopsy, which came back saying my cancer was aggressive and there was no alternative, I had to have the surgery.

"Overall, it took three years from the time I had surgery to the point where after all the treatment I finally got a clear 0 PSA test.

"I'll have to have a six-month check for the rest of my life, but I am lucky there is a rest of my life!"

Having come to realise how "ignorant" he was to such conditions, Aiken has urged every man - especially over 50 - to "man up" and undertake regular prostate examinations.

"Go get a check up...the message is that clear," Aiken declared. "Even if one person listens to me and goes to get a test done, it is worth it.

"Men don't talk about these things, but a lot of other blokes in the industry who had gone through prostate cancer contacted me when I was battling it, and it was a big help, and now I'm happy to talk to anyone who needs support."

Aiken's journey resonates louder at this time of the year as the world focuses on men's health throughout November - particularly the MOWvember campaign - when blokes grow moustaches to raise awareness for the cause.

Each year, about 25,000 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer for men in the country.

Tragically, more than 3700 Australian men succumb to the condition each year.

It is estimated more than 250,000 Aussies are battling prostate cancer as you are reading this article!

"You could have a problem right now without even knowing it," Aiken said. "It's pretty much odds-on there are blokes in harness racing in that exact situation.

"Do yourself a favour and get tested, if the results come back with an all-clear it wasn't a waste of time as you ever know when one day things might be dire."