I feel unbelievably lucky… to be alive. Lucky to be here with my wife and kids. Lucky to have more time! Lucky that my prostate cancer was discovered early enough to be treated.
 
I’m the Senior Vice-President of marketing for a diagnostic imaging company that specializes in equipment for guiding prostate biopsies. That equipment, in a random test, led to my prostate cancer diagnosis.
 
Had I not volunteered as a test subject out of the blue, there’s a good chance my cancer would have gone unnoticed for a long time – maybe too long. I was only 50 years old when I was diagnosed. I had no symptoms and there is no history of prostate cancer in my family.
   
After the test, a clinical specialist said, “Hey, Rob. We think we see something suspicious.”
 
That’s all it takes - a suspicion, a warning sign. Next, I had biopsies. The results revealed I had significant prostate cancer – it was severe, but had not yet spread. That meant I had treatment options. Following that diagnosis in early July 2017, I underwent a radical prostatectomy on September 8. I am recovering well and am cancer-free.
 
I will never forget what my doctor said: “We’d be having a very different conversation if it hadn’t been diagnosed when it was.” What if my prostate cancer had gone undetected? I think about the people I love – my wife, my 17-year-old daughter, my 19-year-old son. They were very worried about me. Prostate cancer really is a family disease, and everyone showed me so much concern and support.
 
Of course, the first thing you do when you hear you have prostate cancer is research it on the internet. What you read can be scary - a tremendous stress. And it can be daunting when you’re sitting in the waiting room to see the doctor. It’s really important to understand the facts.
 
That’s where Prostate Cancer Canada really helped – they make amazing resources available online, with comprehensive explanations about the different aspects of the prostate cancer journey. Their patient information is excellent - I know from firsthand experience.
 
Now, my message to men is – Take your health into your own hands. Start a conversation with your family doctor about your prostate cancer risk. Together, decide on the best testing approach for you.