Former goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, known for his time at Newcastle, West Ham, Portsmouth and for representing Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 World Cup, has revealed he is receiving treatment for prostate cancer that has spread to his pelvic bone.
Hislop said the disease was first detected 18 months ago after a routine PSA blood test showed elevated levels. Further scans revealed an aggressive cancer, leading to surgery in December last year. Six months later, rising PSA levels showed the cancer had returned and spread, prompting medication and seven and a half weeks of radiation therapy, which he has now completed.
Hislop urged men to take testing seriously, stressing that early detection saves lives. He highlighted that men over 50 should regularly check their PSA levels—and those of African descent should start earlier, at 40. Despite having no family history of the disease, he was diagnosed, reinforcing the need for proactive testing.
“The highest rate of prostate cancer mortality is in Caribbean men,” he said. “Please go get tested, know your PSA, track it. Prostate cancer is survivable if caught early enough. Testing saved mine.”
