Popular radio host reveals shock cancer diagnosis

Broadcaster and former golf pro Mark Allen has revealed he is in the midst of a major battle against stage four bowel and lung cancer.

In an interview with The Herald Sun‘s Jon Ralph, the popular Macquarie radio host revealed the stunning series of events that led to his diagnosis.

Allen, who was controversially sacked by SEN along with co-host Mark Schwartz back in 2018, will undergo an operation on Thursday to remove 70 per cent of his bowel.

The former world number 177 said it was through sheer coincidence that the cancer had been picked up at all.

After booking a colonoscopy in early January, Allen had his appointment fast-tracked by golfing partner and doctor Geoff Wells.

A large tumour was detected – a godsend for Allen, but the revelation turned his life upside-down straight away.

“(Wells) said you go to sleep, we will wake you up after we have got rid of a couple of polyps and we will be right as rain.

“And he woke me up and I could tell by his face. He said we have found a big tumour.

“Then we had a rush of tests and the last one was a PET scan where they uncovered another one in my lungs.

“The one in my rectum had migrated through which made me stage four and then when they found the cancer on my lung I was stage four.”

Allen firmly believes that had his appointment not been fast-tracked (he was booked in eight weeks after he bumped into Wells, who re-scheduled it for three days after their meeting). he wouldn’t be alive today.

“I really think I am the luckiest person. If Dr Wells plays golf in the afternoon instead of the morning I am dead. I think I would have been dead today,” he said.

Ralph reported Allen’s doctors have given him an optimistic prognosis.

The drivetime host will take three weeks off to recover from the next surgery, and has been told his chances of beating both cancers are good.

Staying positive

Allen revealed he has missed just four days of work, despite the extremely serious diagnosis.

After believing he was going to die sooner rather than later, the former pro now believes he could be cured by the end of the year.

“There is no doubt when I got the news I was stage four. In some of that alone time you are in the car and start thinking the worst,” Allen said.

“All your life all you want to do is look after (wife) Trish and the kids. You are driving along and thinking about funeral songs. What song will they play at my funeral,” he said.

“But that disappeared pretty quickly. Let’s put some good music on and now I am singing in the car again.

“I have got some superstar doctors and I trust in them. Hopefully by November or December I will give you a call and we will have a party.”