John Tesh's Battle With Prostate Cancer
- Former TV host John Tesh, 73, is grateful for the support of his wife, Connie Sellecca, in helping him battle stage 3 prostate cancer. He describes her unwavering support as crucial to his recovery, saying she saved him from the depths of a “pity party” he was in after being diagnosed 10 years ago.
- Early detection of prostate is important as it can help reduce the risk of cancer spreading to other organs. Screening for prostate cancer generally involves a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland. The prostate-specific antigen is a protein secreted by the prostate gland, large amounts of which can indicate prostate cancer. Though the PSA test is not always accurate and an elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer, our experts maintain that these tests are helpful.
- There are many different treatment options for both early and later-stage prostate cancer including active surveillance, watchful waiting, surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. The disease is one where doctors may have differing opinions on the best treatment path to take.
- Assuming the role of a cancer caregiver when a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend is diagnosed with cancer comes with a unique set of responsibilities. The first thing to understand is that there is no shame in asking for help. This can be an overwhelming time for patients and their caregivers.
- SurvivorNet has a helpful guide for cancer caregivers that you can check out HERE.
Recounting how he felt after his shocking diagnosis back in 2015, the singer-turned media personality told “Good Morning America” in a recent interview, “I just was like, ‘OK, this is over.’ And so, there was some tears. It’s like getting a brick in the face.
Read MoreThe dad of one and grandfather of three added, “The expectation that I was gonna live as long as my Aunt Omegene, which is 100 years old … it was a battle.
‘And it was a couple’s battle, and we’ve won it.”
He then expressed his gratitude in his wife’s ability to bring out the best in him.
“I’m able to look back at the things that have happened in my marriage and look at the strength that Connie imparted to me. If you unplug that piece from my journey, I’m not here,” Tesh admitted.
John Tesh’s Journey With Prostate Cancer
When Tesh was 63, approximately 10 and a half years ago, he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of stage three prostate cancer, with doctors suggesting he could live for only about 18 more months.
After undergoing multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and a prostatectomy, and being informed in 2017 that his cancer had spread to the lymph nodes in his pelvis, Tesh was declared in remission in 2021. However, according to People, he continues to be monitored for potential disease progression at MD Anderson.
In an earlier interview with People, Tesh said his prostate cancer recurred right at the height of the COVID pandemic.
“I woke up with an enormous amount of pain one morning in October 2020 I had pain in both my legs,” Tesh explained. “It turned out there were two tumors around either side of my pelvis and wrapped around my organs.”
Tesh quickly and aggressively took action, further adding, “I went back into the trenches I was battle-ready. I felt less like a guy who was sick trying to get well and more like somebody who was healed well resisting sickness.”
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Cancer Caregivers: The Basics
Assuming the role of a cancer caregiver when a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend is diagnosed with cancer comes with a unique set of responsibilities. The first thing to understand is that there is no shame is asking for help. This can be an overwhelming time for both patients and their caregivers, too.
Through interviews with expert oncologists, social workers, patients advocates, and more, we’ve come up with a checklist of helpful steps cancer caregivers can take throughout the journey.
Cancer caregivers may:
- Attend doctor visits with the patient
- Help the patient take notes/ask questions
- Provide transportation to and from treatment
- Accompany the patient during treatment
- Help keep track of side effects
- Link up with a social worker/patient navigator
- Help with day-to-day activities
- Provide emotional support
How Cancer Caregivers Can Find Time to Care for Themselves
When you suddenly find yourself acting as a cancer caregiver, the lifestyle adjustment can be jarring. Many people welcome the role of cancer caregiver and the opportunity to help out someone they care about deeply but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Filling a caregiver role can be extremely stressful and caregivers often neglect their own needs, which can create a host of additional problems. Experts stress that you will be a better caregiver if you also prioritize caring for yourself. Taking care of your health whether that be with diet, exercise, or making time for activities you enjoy is still crucial.
Julie Bulger gives some tips on how caregivers can care for themselves.
“It is important to have some things that you can do that’s kind of outside of the focus of caring for somebody that you love with cancer,” Julie Bulger, manager of patient and family-centered care at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, told SurvivorNet.
Bulger suggested caregivers find some activities that help them relax like taking a walk or going for a massage.
“There’s a lot of opportunities for support virtually through educational resources, support communities,” she added. “You can talk to somebody. You can get therapy virtually now.”
Expert Resources On Caregiving
- Caregiving Isn’t Easy; Recognize That You May Need Help
- Where Cancer Caregivers Can Get Help With Finances: Coping With the Bills
- Caregiving: An Opportunity for Healing
- 27 Thoughtful Gift Ideas to Support Loved Ones Through a Cancer Journey
- Cancer Support Groups Aren’t for Everyone — We All Have Our Own Way of Coping
When a stressful life event occurs like a loved one being diagnosed with cancer people respond in a variety of ways.
“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”
When struggling with a new stressor, there are many different and healthy ways to cope. For some people, this may mean seeking out traditional therapy, but it’s not the only option.
RELATED: Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik discusses how people may respond to stressors in very different ways.
If you are struggling mentally due to the stress of being a cancer caregiver, there are many options to help you cope. These include:
- Seeking professional help from a psychiatrist or therapist
- Learning healthy coping skills
- Medication such as antidepressants
- Adding more physical activity to your routine
- Adjusting your sleep schedule
- Connecting with others via support groups
- Mindfulness and meditation
Support Matters
Having a strong community around you, even without him physically by her side, is ideal when challenged by health struggles.
Dealing with cancer or any sort of health battle for that matter can be overwhelming, so having physical and emotional support is crucial. That being said, it’s very important to know your limits on what you can handle as you undergo treatment and recover from your cancer, and that includes relationships.
“Going through [cancer] treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin wrote in a column for SurvivorNet. “Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much, [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”
Finding Joy After Cancer Turns Your Life Upside-Down
Dr. Strongin does note, however, that having people by your side during this “arduous chapter” of your life can be hugely beneficial.
“Studies have found consistently that loneliness is a significant risk factor for physical and mental illnesses and the trajectory of recovery,” she wrote. “Therefore, it will be important that you surround yourself with individuals who care and support you throughout your treatment.”
In a previous chat with SurvivorNet, psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik added that some cancer warriors may need to look beyond their existing relationships to find the support they need.
“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” Dr. Plutchik said. “But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional.”
Seeking Support: Dr. Plutchik Shares The First 3 Things To Do After a Cancer Diagnosis
Dr. Plutchik said it’s best to find a mental health professional with experience aiding people undergoing cancer treatment.
“Make sure that the mental health professional that you work it is reaching out, with your consent, to the rest of your team, to the oncologist, to the surgeon,” she said. “It can also be helpful to reach out to family, friends, and any other caretakers that may be involved in the person’s treatment.”
The Power of Gratitude: How Cancer Survivors Find Strength in Appreciation
Many cancer survivors who’ve shared their journeys with SurvivorNet speak not only of resilience, but of gratitude. In the face of life-altering diagnoses and grueling treatments, they consistently point to the people, moments, and simple joys that bring light into their lives.
Defined as the practice of recognizing and appreciating what we have, gratitude can be a powerful mindset for those navigating the uncertainty of cancer. Experts interviewed by SurvivorNet encourage both patients and their loved ones to embrace gratitude as a tool for emotional well-being and mental strength.
WATCH: Finding gratitude and its impact on your well-being.
Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, has seen firsthand how this mindset can transform the treatment experience.
“The patients who do well with cancer live life with gratitude—not for the disease itself, but for the clarity it brings,” he explains. “They’re grateful for the opportunity to understand that life is finite, and that every moment matters.”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, multiple studies show that cultivating gratitude can lead to increased happiness and reduced stress—two critical factors in supporting mental health during treatment.
Practicing gratitude doesn’t require grand gestures. It can be as simple as pausing each day to reflect on what brings you joy or jotting down a few things you’re thankful for in a journal. These small acts can help reframe even the most difficult days, offering a sense of control, hope, and emotional grounding.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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