A self-confessed “carnival chaser” will “rejoice” on the streets of Notting Hill next month – just three months after having his prostate removed with a surgical robot.
Anthony Baptiste, 55, had “no idea anything was wrong” when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
He was the first patient at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) to have his prostate removed and go home on the same day of his surgery – thanks to teams using a surgical robot at Colchester Hospital.
Anthony Baptiste was the first patient at ESNEFT to have a robotic prostatectomy as a day case procedure
Anthony had had some urinary problems, which he had put down to his age, but after seeing several prostate cancer awareness adverts and campaigns, he decided to stop putting it off and got tested.
He had “no warning” of what was to come. Just a week later, he received his cancer diagnosis.
Anthony, who lives in Wivenhoe, near Colchester, with his wife Corinne, said: “I’ve always been blessed with good health, so it was a shock. Then, of course, you go through the MRI scan, and you have that waiting period of not knowing if it’s spread to other organs.
“But what amazed me was how things moved so quickly. I’m so grateful. It could have been the end of me, but I couldn’t have asked for more. Everyone was so helpful and friendly.
“When I came out of the appointment with Corinne, we got outside and I was a bit shaken, but I asked her if she was thinking what I was thinking – we were both working out whether we would make carnival or not. It’s our everything, really. I have not missed it in 35 years.”
Within weeks of his diagnosis in April, Anthony’s surgery was scheduled and carried out on 23 May. He has been recovering well at home and was supported with a phased return to his role at Islington
Council in the middle of July. More importantly, he will be back at his beloved Notting Hill Carnival at the end of August.
Together with Corinne he displays West Indian heritage costumes at various events. They have been travelling to carnivals in the Caribbean and Europe for the past 10 years to showcase the wonderfully intricate and vibrant outfits.
Corinne and Anthony Baptiste pictured at Notting Hill Carnival in 2017
Anthony said: “I will rejoice at carnival and give thanks. It will mean everything to be there. It’s more important to me than Christmas and birthdays rolled into one.
“It would have been awful to miss it. I would have been miserable.”
Anthony has surprised himself with how well he’s felt and how quickly he’s recovered. He puts much of that down to being able to go home on the same day of his surgery.
“I couldn’t put a price on the relief and comfort not having to stay in hospital gave me,” he added.
“I was expecting to be in for two or three nights, so it really helped with my recovery – and privacy – it made such a big difference.
“I’m flabbergasted at how well I feel now. I feel really good, considering.
“Everything was functioning normally once the catheter came out – I thought it would take six to 12 months. I was sent home with continence pads to help with that, but I was able to send them back, which was a bit of a miracle.
“I’m over the worst. Whatever comes now, I’m ready for it but I’m delighted with how I was kept informed and how I was treated. It couldn’t have been any better.”
‘Being able to use my own toilet made a massive difference’
John Swann, 59, had his day case surgery at the start of June.
He had been having yearly blood tests for 10 years to check his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels due to a history of prostate cancer in his family. This is a vital check to assess prostate health.
John Swann
John’s dad had a prostatectomy and very sadly he lost his brother, Robert, to the disease in 2021.
He said: “I didn’t expect it to be positive. I’m still fairly young, so when they came back with a diagnosis,
I was a bit taken aback and devastated. I didn’t expect it until I was 65 or more, but the key is getting it early and hopefully it’s been contained within the prostate.
“There was a month between my diagnosis and the operation. I was lucky it wasn’t too aggressive, but they (hospital teams) still acted really quickly. I couldn’t have asked for much more.”
John has been supported with his recovery at home in Great Clacton by his wife of 10 years, Joanne, and the virtual ward team at Colchester Hospital. He is managing a flexible, phased return to work in his role in IT, thanks to support from his employer, Woodland Group.
John and Joanne Swann with their dog, Dorcas
John’s now looking forward to getting back to exercise and martial arts once his internal wounds heal.
“The whole process, and everyone at each point, has been fantastic from start to finish,” he added.
“It seems to have gone well and I’m very happy.
“It was tough to start with, with the catheter in and all the medication, but once I stopped the painkillers and got the catheter out, it was a lot better.
“I really appreciated being at home. The biggest thing was being able to use my own toilet. That made a massive difference.
“One of the most difficult things for me was my first poo. I was in and out of the toilet trying to get movement going. In a hospital environment that would have been 10 times worse, so it worked really well for me coming home when I did.
“If I had the chance again, I would jump at it. I was lucky that I could do it and I’m very grateful for that opportunity.”
Both Anthony and John will be having their eight-week follow-up appointments soon. These will determine whether they will need any additional treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Regional first for ESNEFT and ‘quicker’ patient recoveries at home
ESNEFT is the first NHS Trust in the East of England to offer day case robotic prostatectomies.
Each patient is assessed and counselled through their options for prostate cancer treatment, which may, or may not, include surgery. It will be different for every individual and day case surgery will not be suitable for all patients.
Consultant urologist Mr Aniket Deshpande was the first surgeon in the region to successfully carry out day case robotic prostatectomies for Anthony and John.
Consultant urologist Mr Aniket Deshpande
Mr Deshpande said: “That counselling in clinic is crucial. The patient, and their family, have to buy into the idea. It’s around a 12-hour stay for what is still a major operation, but it’s less invasive.
“I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved as a Trust and department. More day case prostatectomies are planned – it is slowly becoming the norm at ESNEFT.
“Home is a much more comfortable environment to recover in, and recoveries are quicker. You’re in your own surroundings, with your own support network. That’s so important and leads to good outcomes.”
Mr Deshpande explained most day case patients are back to their “normal activities” after four to six weeks. They go home with a catheter which is removed after 10 to 14 days, and a follow-up appointment is scheduled eight weeks after the surgery. This gives them a chance to recover comfortably and for toileting to settle too.
It’s been a team effort to launch day case prostatectomies at ESNEFT