The City of Hope, one of the 53 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S., shared this inspirational story about Donald, who retired in 2018 and now wants to “serve as a voice” for prostate cancer.

“I strive to serve as a voice for prostate cancer. Often men don't want to talk about prostate cancer in the same way that women discuss breast cancer,” Donald told City of Hope.

“Prostate cancer is a risk for men as they age, but if it’s caught and treated early, the outlook is better. I want other men to know that as you age, it is important to have open conversations with your doctor about your risk. I hope to spread awareness about the disease.”

And as faith has played a major role in his life, Donald offered some inspirational insight on how it especially helped him battle cancer.

“My cancer journey has taught me that each day here on earth is a blessing. I want to spend more time with my immediate family and my extended family members,” Donald said. “After what I have been through, I cherish our time together even more.”

He continued, “I am thankful for what I have accomplished in my life, and I am still alive because God knows there is more I have to do.

“I feel like I have a second chance to do something great for humanity. I will continue to focus on helping others and encouraging them not to give up.”

Donald, whose follow-up tests have since revealed him to have no evidence of disease, recounted first feeling “tired and run down” in September 2017.

However, it wasn’t until March 2018 (one month after his dad passed away from prostate cancer) that he was given a PSA test during his annual physical – an exam that revealed his results had drastically changed from the year prior.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the name of a protein secreted by the prostate gland. Men have a small amount of PSA in their blood all the time but large amounts may signal that something is brewing. When cancer cells grow, PSA spills into the blood.

It was after that he learned of his diagnosis and that his cancer was “aggressive and could soon metastasize.”

He ultimately decided to undergo treatment at City of Hope Atlanta.

“I chose a pathway that was best for me: robotic surgery to remove my prostate,” Donald explained.

Donald, who ended up having surgery in June 2018, said, “The surgery went well, but I had some side effects immediately after. While I was in the military, I fractured my back, and the surgery aggravated the old injury.

“The doctors had me stay overnight to monitor my pain, and I left when I felt comfortable. Back at home, my family was so helpful and supportive throughout my recovery.”

Turning to Faith During a Cancer Journey

For some people, turning to faith can be a great way to keep spirits high when cancer starts taking an emotional and/or physical toll.

RELATED: Ovarian Cancer Survivor Shares How Church Was Her Biggest Support System

Monica Layton, for example, also believes in the power of faith during a fight with cancer. She turned to her church congregation for support as she battled ovarian cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic and then went through recovery.

RELATED: The Power Of Prayer: The Remarkable Link Between Religion And Resilience

“[I've] gone to the same church for a long time, so it's like another family that really supports me,” she told SurvivorNet in a previous interview.

“We're Episcopalian, and when I was having surgery my priest came to the hospital and stayed and prayed with my family the whole time and it was a long surgery. And then he came back to the hospital every day to pray with me.”

Anything That Comes, I'm Ready for It: How Faith Carried Sharon Spencer Through Cancer

In addition to praying for her, Layton's church also sent flowers, cards and a prayer blanket and often visited her.

“They were so kind. I think my faith has been very important, crucial for me. Just the prayer really helps, I think,” Layton said.

SurvivorNetTV Presents: 'SN & You Turning To Faith'

Understanding Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a disease that begins in the walnut-shaped prostate gland located between the rectum and bladder. This gland produces the fluid that nourishes sperm.

RELATED: Prostate Cancer: Overview

Symptoms of the disease are inconsistent and hard to pinpoint.

“Prostate cancer is a very odd disease in that it doesn't have a particular symptom,” Dr. Edwin Posadas, director of translational oncology and the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai, previously explained to SurvivorNet.

But changes in urinary function like urinating more or less often or waking up at night to go more than usual could be a sign of the disease. However, it's important to note that these potential symptoms could also could be caused by a urinary tract infection or even an enlargement of the prostate gland (which is not cancer).

There's No One Definitive Symptom for Prostate Cancer, But There Are Clues

In earlier interviews with SurvivorNet, doctors have shared a hopeful outlook when considering a prostate cancer diagnosis because there are many treatment options, and there's been significant treatment progress over the past decade.

Surgical and radiation options, for example, have made improvements in reducing the side effects of treatment while still providing excellent cure rates. Even for men with an advanced-stage diagnosis, many new options exist to treat prostate cancer and help them maintain an excellent quality of life. (More on that below.)

Prostate Cancer Screening

In the United States, many prostate cancer cases are caught with screening examinations. Screening guidelines depend on your risk for the disease. Age, race/ethnicity, geography, family history and gene changes are the main risk factors for prostate cancer.

You should talk with your doctor regardless, but here are some things to consider when gauging your risk for the disease:

• Men younger than 40 are less likely to get prostate cancer, but age-related risk quickly rises after age 50.
• Approximately six of ten cases of prostate cancer are found in men older than 65.
• Prostate cancer develops more often in African-American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races, and these men tend to develop the disease at a younger age.
• Most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of the disease, but it's still important to look at your family history because prostate cancer does seem to run in some families. Having a father or brother with prostate cancer, for instance, more than doubles a man's risk of developing the disease with a higher risk for men with a brother with prostate cancer than those with a father who have it. The risk is also especially high if a man has several affected relatives that developed the cancer at a younger age.
• Inherited gene changes, or mutations, like that of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes can also elevate risk, but this probably accounts for a small percentage of overall cases.

It's not clear if the benefits of prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks for most men. Nevertheless, screening can be life-saving, and it's important to at least discuss the pros and cons of screening and your risk factors for the disease with your doctor.

When Should I Get Tested for Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer screening methods can search for possible signs of the disease, but they can't determine for sure if you have cancer.

The only way to know for sure if the patient has prostate cancer is with a prostate biopsy a procedure in which small samples of the prostate are removed and examined under a microscope.

But generally speaking, screening for prostate cancer involves a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland.

“It's slightly uncomfortable but painless, and takes less than 30 seconds," Dr. Posadas explained of these methods. “The amount of information that is gained from that is tremendous, and it can be a life-and-death type decision that is made.”

But it's important to note that the PSA test is not perfect.

The Benefits of Active Surveillance

An elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer. It can simply reflect that your prostate is enlarged which is common or it could signal an infection or inflammation. Because of this, the PSA test is controversial since high levels may lead to over-treatment in men who are more likely to die from something else.

Regardless, our experts maintain that the PSA tests are helpful, and you should talk with your doctor about your own risks for the cancer and screening options.

Learning About Prostate Cancer Surgery & Treatment

There are several different options when considering prostate cancer surgery. You can either have a traditional open surgery or laparoscopic surgery, with the latter being more common nowadays.

The main difference between these two approaches is that traditional surgery requires a surgeon to make a large incision, whereas laparoscopic surgery offers a smaller incision and a shorter recovery time.

An Overview of Prostate Cancer Surgery

A newer surgical approach called robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), or robotic surgery, allows surgeons to make small incisions with more precision.

Overall, know there are many different treatment options for both early and later-stage prostate cancer including active surveillance,  radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

Additionally, doctors may have differing opinions on the best treatment path to take, so don't hesitate to ask lots of questions and seek out multiple opinions.

“I think it behooves the patient to have multiple discussions or second opinions, not only by the urologist who did the biopsy and diagnosed that man, but also with other surgeons and other radiation oncologists just to get a very circumspect view of what the treatment options are,” Dr. Jim Hu, a urologic oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, said.

“Oftentimes, I think patients need to understand that our health system is based a lot on fee-for-service medicine,” Dr. Hu added.

“And so therefore, a lot of physicians, I think, who are very well-intentioned, will believe that their treatment is best for that particular man.”

Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Prostate Cancer Surgery

• Is surgery an option for treating my prostate cancer?
• What kind of surgery would be best for me, and why?
• What kind of side effects will surgery cause, and how long will they last?
• Do you have methods to help manage those side effects?
• Do those side effects outweigh the benefit of that treatment for my type of prostate cancer?
• What other treatment options are available for me to treat my cancer?

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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