Nearly 12 years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer and told I had one year to live. I was 42.
My journey with prostate cancer started in 2005, when I went to the doctor for pneumonia and my doctor noticed a solitary pulmonary nodule on my lungs. I should have gotten it checked out like my doctor suggested, but I didn’t.
Later, I began experiencing intense back pain that lasted months — and blew it off (bad mistake). Then, I saw blood in my urine, and I knew something was wrong. After explaining my symptoms to another doctor, who took a secondary X-ray, it was discovered that I had dozens of lesions on my lungs. “I’m very scared for you,” he proclaimed. I was scared, too.
[See: What Only Your Partner Knows About Your Health.]
My lungs looked like Chester Cheetah. The doctors put two and two together, with the blood in my urine and the nodules in my lungs, and sent me for a PSA check. My PSA was very high, and the doctors immediately took a biopsy. In 2006, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, which means the cancer had spread to other parts of my body. I had a Gleason score of 7 out of 10 — the higher the Gleason score, the more likely it is that your cancer will grow and spread quickly.
Discovering I had cancer was a low point for me. I was referred to an oncologist who was hopeful that he could treat the disease. This made me feel hopeful, as well. Within a year of being diagnosed, I married my wife, and that night I promised her 30 years of marriage.
Since my diagnosis, I have become a fierce advocate for my own care — researching the latest advancements in treatments and fighting for treatment access and coverage. I refused to let my negativity get to me and changed my perspective on life.
[See: 10 Lessons From Empowered Patients.]
I had never taken a vacation before my diagnosis, but that all changed. Now, I’ve traveled all over the country, spoken and participated in patient events and become a beacon of hope to others. Through it all, I’ve found a greater purpose in giving back to people who are going through a similar experience — whether they’re just starting out or further down the road. I aim to inspire hope in others based on my personal experiences.
This February, during New York Men’s Fashion Week, I had the opportunity to participate in the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Blue Jacket Fashion Show, a star-studded event that put the spotlight on this disease. It helped raise awareness and encourage men to get screened and understand their risk through early detection and prevention. And I wasn’t the only one. Celebrities and TV personalities such as Dr. Oz, Don Lemon, Eric West and Mario Cantone joined me on the runway. I never pictured myself as a fashion model, but it was a great cause and a fun time strutting our stuff on the catwalk.
I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in an event to help defeat prostate cancer, which is the most prevalent cancer affecting men exclusively, with 1 in 7 diagnosed in the U.S. and 14 million affected worldwide.
There have been so many advancements in the prostate cancer space since almost 12 years ago, when I was given a one-year prognosis. I recently went in for a check-up and discovered my PSA was less than 0.01. Stage 4 doesn’t have to be a death sentence.
[See: 10 Things Younger Men Should Know About Prostate Cancer.]
My story is one of hope, and I have benefited so much from others in my walk with this disease. It’s important that I pay it forward, and if I can inspire hope among other patients, I have done my job.
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Stage 4 Metastatic Prostate Cancer Doesn’t Have to Be a Death Sentence originally appeared on usnews.com
