By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
With the New Zealand Prostate Cancer’s Blue September campaign just days away, a well-known harness racing figure is urging men 45 and over to get checked.
Queensland-based Kiwi racing journalist Duane Ranger was diagnosed with the disease earlier this year and will undergo surgery in September to have his prostate removed.
The 61-year-old got the news after a routine visit to his GP.
“It was a bit of the spur of the moment thing,” says Ranger, “I was getting my flu vaccine and I was pretty much bragging about how healthy I was.”
“He asked me if there was any history of illness in the family and I mentioned that my dad has prostate cancer. He got it in his 70s and he’s 86 almost.”
“The GP said ‘you need that checked’ and that’s exactly what happened.”
The check was done then and there.
“Straight away he said ‘this looks rough'”.
After bloods tests and some scans the diagnosis was confirmed.
“I wouldn’t know I have it. I’ve never been fitter and play a lot of cricket, tennis and table tennis and all that so it was a shock to find out.”
“It’s been a reality check. Knowing what I know now I should have got myself checked a lot earlier.””
In September he will undergo surgery at Brisbane Royal Hospital. His recovery time post-surgery is then expected to be around eight weeks.
“I am relieved that it is confined to my prostate and hasn’t spread,” says Ranger, “and I try and be positive about the outcome.”
Though he concedes that is not always easy.
“Generally I put on a happy front because that’s how I am but there are times at night when I’m scared.”
Ranger, who admits to “being obsessed with harness racing”, has written for a number of publications and organisations on both sides of the Tasman since the mid 1980s. He headed to Queensland seven years ago where he’s a writer as well as a sports coach.
His daughter Monika is one of the top junior drivers in the North Island, having recently reined home her 50th career win.
Duane Ranger is going public with his own plight to encourage men to get checked.
“Early detection is everything, anyone 45 or over you’ve got to get checked,” he says, “just do it.”
“It can literally save your life.”
HRNZ is about to run its fifth annual Blue September campaign. It is all about promoting awareness of prostate cancer and raising funds for research.
A number of ambassadors will be involved in a campaign launch at Methven in Mid Canterbury on Monday.
Blair Orange, Tony Cameron, brothers Matty and Nathan Williamson, Robbie Close, Sam Thornley, Jonny Cox and Rory McIlwrick are the 2025 ambassadors returning after being involved last year while there will also be three newcomers – John Dunn, Josh Dickie and Orange’s son Harrison, who’s created a huge impression in the junior ranks over the past couple of years.
Money is raised every time one of the Blue September ambassadors wins a race during the month, with contributions coming from HRNZ ($100 per win), clubs and the drivers’ individual sponsors. Blair Orange was the leading fund-raiser last year with 24 wins and $8200.
Last year more than $40,000 was raised in total.
For anyone wanting to sponsor one of this year’s drivers they should contact Courtney@hrnz.co.nz and there will be regular updates on the campaign on the hrnz website and its social media channels.
