Former Royal Marine on overcoming bowel cancer to defend UK bench press title

Ram and his daughter Melanie came into the studio to discuss their rollercoaster year.

A former Royal Marine from Frome is training to defend the UK bench press title just weeks after undergoing surgery for cancer.

Ram Patten suffered from PTSD after serving in Afghanistan and turned to powerlifting to help manage his symptoms.

He started the year in good health and won the UK Bench Press Championship before being diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Just weeks ago Ram underwent surgery and now he is in training to defend his bench press title at the start of next year.

Ram has urged other men to get tested for cancer and to discuss their health more openly.

He told ITV News West Country presenters Alex and Seb: "I'm going okay. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but I'm okay."

When asked about the inspiration behind his campaigning, he explained: "It started off in the gym. Very often you go around, you see faces that you see every other day.

"You say hi to people, you high five them, you shake hands, you give them hugs - but everyone's always 'okay', there's never a problem.

"In particular with men because you have to be strong in the gym, not weak, not tired, not exhausted.

"This one time I remember I was walking past someone and I said hi to be polite, and I said 'how you doing?' and they said 'not too good'.

"And I was about to just say 'great, have a lovely workout' and then I realised they were opening up to me and I thought 'oof, I've got a responsibility here to ask them why'.

"We had a long conversation and I realised it's okay not to be okay."