FREGIE'S father - Major Ronald Ferguson - father, was visiting the cancer research unit at the University of York today after taking part in a phone-in on BBC Radio York's Julia Booth show.

He was being joined by Professor Norman Maitland, who is Britain's leading researcher into prostate cancer, Mr Mike Stower, consultant urologist at York District Hospital, and Andrew Clark, a former dentist who has had successful treatment for prostate cancer.

Major Ferguson has made it his personal campaign to raise the profile of prostate cancer in an attempt to save men's lives.

He was diagnosed with the disease in 1996 and at first kept his fight within the confines of his family. But when he was approached by a daily newspaper three years ago who said "we're sorry to hear you're dying......" he began to turn his illness into something positive and go public.

Updated: 11:17 Thursday, November 15, 2001