How Will You (Or Someone You Love) Survive Prostate Cancer?

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in May of 2011. That fall, when my doctor recommended I start to consider treatment options for my prostate cancer, I immediately thought about the effects that the popular treatments for prostate cancer may have on my cycling. Cycling plays a significant role in my life, so I sought the advice from a fellow avid cyclist who had undergone treatment for prostate cancer. He related that he wasn't able to ride for an extended period after his treatment.
My thoughts turned to the negative impact that such a layoff from cycling would have on my physical conditioning. It takes top physical conditioning to ride the distances needed for my frequent group rides and for my daily commute to work. I wanted a treatment option for prostate cancer that would minimize any reduction of my cycling activity, and I began researching various treatments for prostate cancer.

This experience began my focus on "managing my survivorship." Many people with cancer would rather avoid doing "research" about treatment options and hope the treatment team will just tell them which option is best, though they may not ultimately be happy with the results of this option. I suggest people explore their treatment options with a focus on survivorship — thinking through how each option will affect you long term- in both effectiveness and side effects. This video presents my personal story and provides an introduction to managing your survivorship.