Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher video games, has spoken out on his prostate cancer diagnosis and the importance of getting tested.
Speaking to IGN, the beloved voice actor explained he had no obvious symptoms pointing to cancer but a combination of different factors led him to get checked.
“I had no symptoms, no pain, nothing I could point to in my body that was telling me that I have prostate cancer,” Cockle said. “In that sense my diagnosis was a big surprise.” A family history of prostate cancer had always been in the back of Cockle’s mind, however, and after watching a documentary in which an interviewee spoke of lower back pain — something he experienced as a result of mild sciatica — he decided to get tested.
“I guess I knew it was a possibility, but to be told that, yes, I have prostate cancer, was still a surprise,” Cockle added. “It’s that old thing, you know, [it] won’t happen to me.”
“I guess I knew it was a possibility, but to be told that, yes, I have prostate cancer, was still a surprise. It’s that old thing, you know, [it] won’t happen to me.”
Watching the documentary opened Cockle’s eyes to the importance of discussing cancer openly, as if he hadn’t seen it, he wouldn’t have thought to get checked.
“It’s so important to talk about this stuff,” he said. “It can be so easy to ignore symptoms or family history or whatever and just live in relatively blissful ignorance. We don’t want to know really, do we?
“The knowledge that something isn’t right can lead to discomfort and pain and we don’t want that. That’s normal. But knowledge is also power: the power to choose your path. I chose mine and now, hopefully, I’ve got many years left in which to enjoy my life with my family and friends.
“My cancer was pretty well advanced so a few more years untested might have meant that my choices were fewer and/or the treatments might not have been as effective. Talking about these things means that others might hear and act for themselves or those they care about.”
I had no idea. Random check and Boom… I have full blown prostate cancer. Treatment ongoing but looking good so far. Men over 50… get a PSA test… just in case. 🙂❤️ More info at @ProstateUK #MensHealth #health #prostatecancerawareness #prostatehealth https://t.co/HFItTImvU2
— Doug Cockle 🐺⚔️🧸 (@DCockle) June 6, 2023
That doesn’t mean a cancer diagnosis is an easy thing to share with the world though. Cockle explained he was torn about sharing the news on social media, worried his followers would think he was simply seeking attention or sympathy.
“When the Prostate Cancer UK tweet showed up in my Twitter feed it just felt right,” Cockle said. “If I retweeted this, I wouldn’t so much be talking about myself as talking to and about all of us men. My own diagnosis wasn’t really the point; it was the context to spread the word.”
The response to the retweet, in which Cockle explained how much of a surprise the diagnosis was, remained confident things were going well, and encouraged others to get a test, was entirely positive.
Several members of The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red, BAFTA head Luke Hebblethwaite, and several other industry peers shared their love and support of Cockle, alongside countless fans. “In retrospect, I needn’t have worried about the response,” he said. “It was overwhelmingly positive and included lots of people who were grappling with their own journey or that of a loved one.”
Cockle was amused when asked if remaining positive, as he did in the tweet, is something he values highly. “If my wife heard you call me a force of positivity she’d probably have a really good chuckle,” he said. “I’m a nightmare. She always says that I’m great in a crisis but terrible with spilt milk.
“I guess my personal journey with cancer has been a bit of a crisis which I have tried to attack with positivity. Just don’t spill any milk nearby!”
Cockle said he was lucky to have such a strong support network around him too, but made clear their are myriad resources and organisations available to those looking for help. “I have been fortunate,” he said. “My wife has been a rock. Family and friends have all been amazing and the support from people online has been lovely.”
Cockle also praised Prostate Cancer UK and Macmillan Cancer Support for providing plenty of literature and information about the disease and treatments alongside other valuable support.
“My wife has been a rock. Family and friends have all been amazing and the support from people online has been lovely.”
“[It’s] really important though that I emphasise that I was proactive about seeking support,” Cockle added. “Most of it was offered freely along the way, but I had to do the initial reaching out, with some gentle cajoling from my wife. Reach out. The support is there.”
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer affecting men worldwide and is responsible for the loss of tens of thousands of people each year in the U.S. alone. The risk of developing the disease increases with a number of hereditary and environmental factors including family history, diet, and age, with most cases occurring in men over the age of 45.
While the disease is linked with common symptoms including difficulties urinating, it can often be many years before a person shows symptoms. Thankfully, a range of treatment options are available, and the chances of survival are at their highest when the disease is caught early.
For more information on prostate cancer symptoms and screening, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. UK readers can find out more by talking to their GP, visiting the National Health Service website, or by visiting Prostate Cancer UK, which also offers information on the risks to trans women and non-binary people.
Image Credit: Karwai Tang / Contributor at Getty Images
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
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