It seems there is much controversy these days about the value of PSA tests and subsequent follow-up in an effort to control prostate cancer. Perhaps I can take a minute to relate my own story and give my first-hand opinion. In a general check-up some 13 years ago (I was 63 at the time), my general practitioner told me it was a matter of form to do a PSA blood test. The results indicated a reading of over 9, which meant absolutely nothing to me. My doctor recommended that I see a urologist and, to my great pleasure, referred me to a man who had been a client of mine and who I respected highly.
My wife accompanied me to my appointment, and we discussed options such as watchful waiting, surgery and radiation. It was at the time when US General Norman Schwarzhopf (of Desert Storm fame) and golf great Arnold Palmer were talking publicly about their own prostate cancer experience and opting for surgery. I believe this influenced my choice of radical prostatectomy. I’m aware that much less invasive surgery is now performed with less nerve destruction and a more rapid healing time. Long story short, in post surgery follow-up with my urologist, he mentioned that my cancer had been aggressive and within 1 mm of escaping the prostate capsule. Luckily, thirteen years later, my PSA level is undetectable.
I believe support groups can be of great benefit and a wonderful source of information. I attended many group functions in Edmonton and briefly sat on the board of the Northern Alberta Urology Foundation (during this period, I was instrumental in running three golf tournaments aimed at fundraising for prostate cancer). Managing your health requires many informed decisions that only you can make. Neglecting PSA tests while the jury is out on their usefulness could prove fatal, and I’m sure I wouldn’t be writing this article had I done so.
But I believe there can also be a danger in spending too much time PSA “scorekeeping.” Partly to combat this danger, I kept myself busy by getting involved in volunteer work. I spent 14 years as a member of the Board of Regents at Concordia University College of Alberta, and was honoured to receive their distinguished service award. I’ve also been on the board of The Good Samaritan Society, a group that provides extended care in Edmonton and operates senior care facilities throughout Alberta and British Columbia, and have served as chair of the worker and pension fund of the Lutheran Church of Canada. I still get up at 5:00 a.m. every Tuesday to join my church group in preparing and serving breakfast for the homeless.
Volunteering is my way of giving back to a society that has been very good to me. It provides a way for me to use the practical experience I gained at the Royal Bank. As pensioners, we have a wealth of experience and contacts. Volunteering allows us to share the benefit of our experience with others.
It’s also an opportunity to change people’s lives, including your own. Besides being gratifying,
it can be great fun.
The other passion in my life is table tennis, which I’ve played since I was a child. I played competitively in Calgary in the 1960s and now compete in masters games that are held every four years. Not to boast, but I’ve won medals provincially as well as internationally.
As men, it’s easy for us to become insular and self-involved. Whether participating in volunteer work or competing at table tennis, I see these as ways to interact and share experiences with others, helping where I can. My advice is: Try to be an encourager, as I’ve tried to be for several men who unfortunately are no longer with us.
