AceShowbiz - Oscar-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen, known for his powerful visual storytelling in films like "12 Years a Slave," recently shared a deeply personal health battle with prostate cancer that he faced two years ago. As he prepares to address U.K. lawmakers at the House of Commons, McQueen hopes his story will encourage men to prioritize regular screenings.

McQueen's diagnosis came during pre-production for his recent wartime feature "Blitz." Although the diagnosis meant a delay in filming, McQueen chose to keep his condition private from over two hundred cast and crew members to avoid becoming a distraction.

Reflecting on his swift return to work, he likens it to the wartime "Keep Calm and Carry On" spirit, stressing the importance of simply "getting on with it."

"The cancer's gone and that's down to early detection. Early detection means virtually a hundred percent success rate," McQueen emphasized, grateful for the timely medical intervention.

After his own father's death from prostate cancer in 2006, McQueen was vigilant about his health, undergoing regular MRI scans and PSA checks. This proactive approach ultimately led to the early discovery of a small tumor, which was promptly removed, allowing McQueen to make a complete recovery.

McQueen is now advocating for wider awareness through Prostate Cancer Research's "Proactive For Your Prostate" campaign and its "Everyman A Scan" slogan, aiming to encourage national regular screening. "What's happening is that men are being left to their own devices to navigate this on their own," he warns, urging men not to delay seeking medical advice.

Significantly, McQueen draws attention to the disproportionate impact of prostate cancer on Black men, referencing that one in four Black men will get the disease, and one in twelve will die from it if not detected early. His father's untimely death served as a catalyst for McQueen's annual health checks, which he credits with saving his life.

McQueen's transparency about his journey, coupled with his advocacy efforts, is poised to have a global impact, urging men everywhere to be proactive about their health. "The tragedy of this is no one has to die of it. That's the tragedy," McQueen stated passionately, underscoring the critical nature of early screenings.