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  • Tim May admitted he was ‘a coward’ and avoided a blood test
  • Former off-spinner, 61, was later diagnosed with prostate cancer
  • May also recently revealed a previous battle with alcoholism

Australian cricket great Tim May’s has delivered a very emotional message to Aussie men as he battles prostate cancer: don’t delay, get yourself checked now.

In emotional scenes, May, 61, broke down on television during a live cross from the Adelaide Oval on Thursday as Pat Cummins’ men took on the West Indies.

The former off-spinner – whose best figures in the Test arena were 5/9 – was chatting to ex-teammate turned commentator Damien Fleming and veteran journalist Peter Lalor when the rawness of his situation hit home with the Channel Seven cameras rolling.

‘I was stupid I didn’t pick it up earlier,’ May said. 

‘I was a coward … I skipped a blood test because I was scared of the outcome.

‘I was a fool. An absolute fool … and I don’t want anyone else to be a fool, or be scared because the sooner you get the test done, you can nip it in the bud.’

Australian cricket great Tim May (pictured left, with the late Shane Warne) broke down on Thursday while delivering a prostate cancer message to Aussie men

Australian cricket great Tim May (pictured left, with the late Shane Warne) broke down on Thursday while delivering a prostate cancer message to Aussie men

May's cancer battle follows a recent interview where he admitted he was previously an alcoholic (pictured with Shane Warne)

May’s cancer battle follows a recent interview where he admitted he was previously an alcoholic (pictured with Shane Warne)

May embraced Fleming at the end of the segment, during which he also revealed the testosterone blockers he has been taking to fight the disease left him ‘sort of like a woman going through menopause’.

‘I get very teary at times, for no apparent reason,’ he explained. 

His call to arms comes after the Adelaide raised star admitted in a recent interview he hasn’t touched a drop alcohol in four years.

He also had a stint in rehab, which he ‘loved’.

‘I don’t want any sympathy,’ May told the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘I am four years sober now … it [alcoholism] is a a disease of the brain and people don’t understand. They don’t understand why you can’t stop [drinking]. 

‘Now I pray every night … I thank him [god] for all my blessings. I ask him for help if I have to. And if I’ve done something that I regret, I have to express remorse and ask the help. Can you make me not do that again?

‘I don’t know if there’s a real god out there or something, but I feel it works, I’ve never been happier. It is light and day between my artificial happiness while on the drink.’

May went onto reveal he has been on chemotherapy and radiation for 12 months following his diagnosis – and will be continuing with his treatment for another year. 

He labelled his cancer journey a ‘competition as it keeps trying to come back’, and said he will keep taking each day as it comes.

Readers who want their prostate checked can log onto: https://www.pcfa.org.au/ – with test kits available to be sent to residential addresses across Australia.

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This post first appeared on Daily mail