Former Newcastle United and Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has publicly disclosed his ongoing battle with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. The football pundit shared his personal health journey in a heartfelt video posted to his Instagram account, detailing his diagnosis and treatment to raise awareness among men worldwide.
Hislop revealed that the cancer was detected approximately 18 months ago during his routine annual physical examination. ‘I consistently insisted on a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test as part of my check-up,’ Hislop explained. ‘This particular time, my PSA levels were elevated, prompting further investigation through MRI and biopsy procedures which confirmed the presence of an aggressive prostate cancer.’
The former West Ham player underwent a radical prostatectomy—a surgical procedure for partial or complete removal of the prostate gland—on December 6, 2024. However, Hislop’s medical journey continued when follow-up tests six months post-surgery showed rising PSA levels again. Subsequent scans confirmed the cancer had metastasized to his pelvic bone, requiring immediate medication and an intensive seven-and-a-half week radiation therapy regimen which he recently completed.
Making a special appeal to Caribbean men who statistically face the highest mortality rates from prostate cancer globally, Hislop emphasized: ‘My community, my people, please go get tested. Understand your PSA numbers and track their historical changes. Prostate cancer becomes survivable when detected early, and various treatment options exist. Testing genuinely saves lives—it certainly saved mine.’
Hislop’s courageous disclosure follows medical research from institutions like Johns Hopkins Medicine which indicates early detection significantly improves prostate cancer outcomes. His advocacy highlights the critical importance of regular health screenings, particularly for high-risk demographic groups.