Maidenhead lawyer proves 'people with stage four cancer can still do great things'

A 44-year-old man living with stage four prostate cancer is changing perceptions about what people with the advanced disease are capable of through a 56-mile charity bike ride.

Jeremy Snead was diagnosed in January this year after developing bloating before his Christmas lunch in December 2024.

What was initially considered a urine infection or appendicitis was later identified as blockages in his ureters, requiring emergency surgery and kidney stents.

A prostate-specific antigen test administered as an ‘afterthought’ then revealed he had advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones and lymph nodes.

The litigation lawyer has lived near Maidenhead riverside with his wife Anna, eight-year-old daughter and three-year-old son since the pandemic and told the Advertiser his diagnosis ‘came out of the blue’.

“I was going to say it was a rollercoaster, but there haven’t been many ups to be honest,” he said, explaining that the ‘human mind has a way of thinking that it won’t be me’, despite the statistic that one in two people get cancer.

“I had a routine health checkup with work in November, and my blood pressure was a little bit high, but we had a two-year-old, I’d had a cup of coffee, I was going through a stressful period at work, and they just said keep an eye on it,” he added.

“I don't think anyone would have said, ‘Oh, you’ve got high blood pressure, it could be prostate cancer.”

There is currently no screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK, despite being the most commonly diagnosed cancer, and Jeremy feels ‘lucky’ to have felt something that needed investigating.

“I think I was ‘lucky’ that it affected my ureters, and I caught it at this stage, which sadly isn’t early enough, but I dread to think how bad it could have been,” he said.

“[I was] diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at age 44, so I wouldn’t have even qualified for the screening in a high-risk category, so my message to everybody is it could happen to you.”

Exercise can significantly reduce the risk of cancer recurrence or death, which was a ‘key driver’ for Jeremy to sign up for the Tour De 4 in aid of Prostate Cancer UK on Sunday.

“If you could turn that into a pill, people would pay thousands, but exercise is available on our doorstep,” he said.

“If I can improve my long-term statistics, then that gives me as much time with my children for as long as possible.”

Jeremy Snead pictured with his wife, Anna, and their two children, Emma and Oliver.

Jeremy has completed 18 weeks of chemotherapy and is due to undertake four weeks of radiotherapy later in September – and has transformed his diet, regularly exercises and takes ice baths.

“The day you’re diagnosed, control is taken out of your hands. I kept saying to the doctors, ‘Is there anything I can do?’

“They said you could lose a little bit of weight, but don’t go extreme, and I thought if you’re ever going to go extreme, now is the time.

“Things like exercise, that's something that you can positively control.

“The human body is amazing, and I think the key is being positive and determined that you will get through this, rather than just accept whatever prognosis.”

Although the diagnosis left Jeremy with a ‘massive sense of guilt’ for his young family, he said his wife and kids are his source of strength.

“I want to be there for them as long as I can, and so I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said.

“My friends and family are all incredibly supportive throughout the process. I couldn’t have asked for better.”

Jeremy and Anna didn’t plan to spend their 10th anniversary in Glasgow this weekend, but he said the event at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will be ‘amazing’.

“It’s a celebration of people living with stage 4 cancer but aimed at encouraging everyone to do what they can,” he added.

After previously participating in Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Blue Bike Ride in Windsor, Jeremy was keen for another challenge after his diagnosis and discovered the Tour De 4 organised by Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, also living with the same stage 4 prostate cancer.

“The kidney stents were irritating my bladder when I walked or ran, but for some reason cycling didn't irritate them,” said Jeremy, describing his practice ride to Brighton in July.

“I immediately knew I wanted to take part in the Tour de 4 to show people that people with stage 4 cancer can still do great things.

“The more I can raise for Prostate Cancer UK, the better, so I'm really grateful and really touched by how many people have sponsored.”

The fundraiser has exceeded £36,000 and can be viewed here www.gofundme.com/f/curing-prostate-cancer