Active Dad's Back Pain Revealed as Terminal Prostate Cancer
An active father who visited his doctor complaining of back pain received the shocking news that it was actually terminal cancer. Grant Learmont, a 40-year-old from Dumfries, has been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer and given years to live.
From Active Lifestyle to Unexpected Diagnosis
Grant Learmont leads an exceptionally active life, having cycled from Lands' End to John O'Groats, regularly running half marathons, playing football, and operating his own building business. When the father of two visited his doctor on January 5 with stiffness in his back and hips, both he and his physician initially attributed it to muscular issues from his physically demanding lifestyle.
"The doctor, along with me, thought it was maybe just muscular in my back - with my building and football," Grant explained. "We both thought it was muscular, it made sense. She made me an appointment with the physio."
The Pain Spreads and Tests Reveal Truth
After two-and-a-half weeks of physiotherapy exercises, Grant noticed the pain had migrated from his lower back and hips toward his shoulder and chest. "If I was sitting up in bed, or I took a big deep breath in, it was really sore, so I ended up phoning the doctor back," he recalled.
That evening, his GP called to report abnormalities in his blood tests, suggesting a possible blood clot. Grant was scheduled for a CT scan the following morning on Valentine's Day. After sharing a dinner date with his wife in the hospital canteen, he received the devastating diagnosis.
Scans revealed shadows in his spine, pelvis, and left hip indicating metastatic bone disease originating from incurable stage four advanced metastatic prostate cancer.
Shock and Confusion Over Diagnosis
"When he told me 'extensive bone disease', I was like 'right, OK', but when he said it had led on from prostate cancer I thought 'what?'" Grant said. "I was totally confused, I had absolutely no symptoms - going to the toilet has been absolutely fine, any other symptom - not a thing. Just a slight bit of pain in the weeks leading up to it, and that was it."
Treatment Plan and Prognosis
Doctors administered a testosterone blocking hormone injection to prevent the hormone from fueling the cancer. Subsequent scans revealed the cancer was even more extensive than initially thought, appearing in his collarbones, ribs, and sternum.
Grant will begin 'triplet therapy' in mid-April, consisting of a hormone injection, oral hormones, and chemotherapy. Medical professionals estimate he could live another four to ten years, though they emphasize the uncertainty of such predictions. "They don't know - it's a needle in a haystack," Grant acknowledged.
Raising Awareness and Funds Through Charity Cycling
Now Grant, alongside his wife Kirsten, 19-year-old daughter Tilly, and 17-year-old son Shaw, is raising money for prostate cancer charities by participating in the 56.7-mile 'Tour de 4' charity cycle through the Scottish countryside. The event was established by former track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in 2023.
The September ride in Glasgow will challenge participants with 3,830 feet of elevation. The Learmont family and their friends have already raised more than £10,000 in donations.
Breaking Stereotypes About Prostate Cancer
"My wife's been amazing - she's been there by my side throughout my tests," Grant said. "I want to raise awareness and raise money, to show people - for years this has been seen as a disease that older people get, in their 60s and 70s. I'm proof in the pudding it can happen to younger people."
He particularly wants to reach people in physically demanding professions: "Especially because I'm in the building trade, loads of builders and joiners are always moaning about aches and pains. I want to raise awareness - if you've got a constant pain or you're feeling sore, go and get checked out. We want to raise as much money as we can towards prostate cancer."
