'Men Beating The Odds': Redefining Prostate Cancer Survivorship
- Mississippi dad Roosevelt Greenwood was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer at 47. His story, now featured in SurvivorNet’s “Men Beating the Odds” film series, showcases the power faith and family can have during the cancer journey.
- During a routine screening, Roosevelt had an extremely elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level, 1,490, which ultimately led to his diagnosis.
- Despite those hardships, and the fact that he’s living with advanced disease, he tells SurvivorNet he is thriving 10 years later, and he credits it all to his wife, Shay, their five children, and his faith.
- “Men Beating The Odds” is a 12-part docu-series that follows men who have learned to live and thrive with advanced prostate cancer, redefining what it means to be a survivor. Watch more here.
SurvivorNet’s 12-part documentary series “Men Beating the Odds” spotlights men who are not just surviving but thriving with advanced prostate cancer, with a mission to inspire others and emphasize the importance of support. This new film features survivor Roosevelt Greenwood, his beloved wife, Shay, and their faith-filled mindset that helped them navigate an unexpected diagnosis.
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Chandler says the news shook her to her core, and she felt “completely devastated.”
“You just never imagine that your dad is going to get diagnosed with cancer,” she explains. “And I just remember being really, really, really heartbroken and just having so many questions and us just crying together.”
A Routine PSA Test Revealed The Diagnosis
Before Roosevelt’s diagnosis, Shay says a routine PSA exam revealed a high number of 1,490, something she described as “unheard of.”
PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is a protein produced by cells in the prostate gland, a walnut-size structure located just below the bladder in men. Its value is measured through a blood test and used as a marker for prostate health. Typically, it is recommended that men begin screening for prostate cancer with regular PSA tests around age 50.
Normal PSA levels typically range from 0 to 4 ng/mL, although this can vary slightly based on age and other health factors.
An elevated PSA level can indicate something is wrong. It could signal infection or it may be a sign of prostate cancer.
Finding Support: Family & Faith
Roosevelt, who is living and thriving with late-stage prostate cancer 10 years after his diagnosis, insists Shay “is just the best wife ever.”
“She encouraged me then, and she encourages me now,” he says. “… There was no thought of us not going through this process together. We were going to go through it together and we were going to beat it together, and that’s just what we did.”
Like so many cancer survivors, Roosevelt says that his cancer journey brought him back to his faith. Spirituality and faith, in all their different forms, can make a real difference in how someone handles cancer treatment.
In Roosevelt’s case, he considers his life now a “miracle.”
“I can only go through this because of my faith,” he says. “… Ten years ago when I was going through all my issues, that was one of the things that I prayed for, that the Lord would allow me to stay here and be with my family.”
Now, referring to himself as “on the other side,” he’s thankful and proud of the journey.
“I received the miracle of life and I’m still able to be here with my wife and my youngest son,” he says.
Prostate Cancer Screening: What To Know
There is some debate among major health organizations about when regular prostate cancer screening should begin.
- The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggests that men age 55 to 70 discuss the risks and benefits of undergoing prostate cancer screening with PSA tests with their doctors. USPSTF recommends against screening for men older than 70.
- The American Cancer Society recommends men begin regular screening at age 50 if they have average risk, age 45 if they have a high-risk (this includes Black men and those with a family history), and age 40 for those who are considered very high-risk (typically, this means a close relative died from prostate cancer at a young age).
Have a discussion with your doctor to decide the right screening schedule for you, and consider getting screened earlier if you have risk factors such as family history.
(Content independently created by SurvivorNet with support from Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.)
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