Mr Homer, 54, started radiation therapy two weeks ago, soon after being sworn in as his hometown's new mayor.

The prostate cancer diagnosis predated this by more than a year - and he said after trying to fight it off himself by natural methods, it was time to seek something stronger.

"I tried to take care of myself for just over a year, because my background is in nutritional medicine and fitness - so I did go my own way for a year," he told the Mercury.

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"And then, and then the blood results went the other way - even though I was trending into the good, it went the other way - the conventional doctor said righto mate, it's time for you to entertain us and we need to knock it on the head.

"So I was happy to do that.

"The [radiation] techniques are really good now and they're very targeted.

"At the end of the day, I think the key thing was that I do regard myself as a pretty fit and healthy guy."

Perhaps for this reason, and because he hadn't experienced symptoms, he hadn't felt the need to get tested, other than as part of a general checkup that included blood work.

"My prostate cancer wasn't from an enlarged prostate - so it was only by accident where I got some blood tests done, because I just want to have a look at my health and really get myself in good shape.

"The doctor started noticing that the PSA [prostate-specific antigen] level was elevated. He said, 'I just want to investigate this'.

"So I got another blood test and it was still high. And he basically said, Chris, would you mind doing a biopsy? I really want to investigate it. I said, yeah, I'll do that. And then from there I sat in the urologist's chair and he gave me a cancer diagnosis - which floored me.

"Then I had to go on the journey of really working out how I was going to overcome this prostate cancer thing."

He hopes sharing his experience could lead other men to have blood tests, to ensure there's not something lurking.

"It's good to raise awareness for the guys who actually think they fit and healthy and don't have the symptoms of an enlarged prostate - there still might be something going on," he said.

"You really need to get a blood test, man.

"I think even fit in healthy people, including surfers in the gym, people my age. You really need to get your blood tests done - scan the whole lot, and PSA levels, because you really don't know. It can be a very stealthy thing going on inside that you don't know about until maybe it's too late. OK?"

For more information on prostate cancer, talk to your GP or visit the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, the Cancer Council, or the Commonwealth Government's Health Direct.

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