Ward's life was turned upside down in spring of 2012 when he went for a routine check-up with his GP, Ray Power.
He regrets now that he didn't go for that check-up even earlier. Tony was caught entirely unaware by his illness, and urges others not to make the same mistake and delay if they feel anything is up
Tony noticed something different one day when he was out shopping.
"I seldom if ever go into town to shop, instead, I wait until I am travelling somewhere for a match and I go shopping there. It might be Rome, Paris, the UK, wherever. I'd pick up toiletries or maybe some clothes.
"A few years ago, on one of these trips I began to notice that I needed to go to the toilet more often.
"It seemed like nothing sinister, and I did nothing about it. That's typical of men. It takes a conscious effort by men to check on their health - it's all about that macho hunter nonsense that we are above vulnerability."
When Tony went to his GP for a check-up after a gap of six years, the truth that he was riddled with an aggressive prostate cancer suddenly emerged to his utter shock.
"For over two years I have kept it under wraps and only a close circle of friends has known about it but when I went on holiday in the summer I decided I did not want to hide it any more. I want to get the message out that it is imperative men have themselves checked - and I hope that can help to save lives."
"The last few years have been among the toughest and most stressful of my life, but I feel that I have got through it by being positive."
