"If you get in early, you can beat it! I'm living proof" - Dennis Priestley makes prostate cancer plea

Dennis Priestley is one of the all-time great in darts. The now 74-year-old Englishman became world champion with the BDO in 1991 and crowned himself the first world champion with the PDC three years later. 'The Menace' was recently a guest on Wayne Mardle's youtube channel 'Club 501' and talked openly there about his health problems.

Priestley was 57 (at the time he was still in the top 10 in the world rankings) when he began to face health problems. "In November 2007, I lost in the World Championship very early so then I got the prostate removed," Priestley recalls in conversation with Mardle.

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Dennis Priestley with his signature red-and-black striped shirt

As a result of his own experiences, Priestley makes an appeal to all men. "Any symptoms at all guys, don't be shy! It can be a bit embarrassing but don't worry about that, who cares? If you get in early, you can beat it," says the former world champion. "I'm living proof. 15 years on and I'm still here to talk about."

Barely a year after his cancer diagnosis, Priestley was already back in action at the 2008 World Championship. In the third round there he went down 4-2 against Paul Nicholson. He would eventually remain active at the PDC until 2014. In 2013 he was there one last time at the World Darts Championship, at the Alexandra Palace he then went down 3-1 in the first round against Ronnie Baxter. In 2009 he was inducted into the PDC Hall of Fame.

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