Preserving the Gift of Time: A Wake-Up Call on Prostate Health

By Jim McCoy

I recently read that the average life expectancy for men has declined to 73 years. At the same time, Social Security “full retirement” age has increased to 67 years. Wait! So we work for 45 years or so and then live an average of six more years in retirement! Does this strike anyone as depressing? I think we owe it to ourselves, our families and our friends to do everything we can to extend those retirement years. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that, but most men can.

It’s been almost two years since I went to my doctor for a regular check-up and blood work. I wasn’t worried as I was in fairly good shape. I exercised as much as I could and I tried to eat healthy. When I have had blood work done in the past, everything has come back normal. This time was different.
On the day after the appointment, I received a call from my primary care doctor at 7:30 in the evening. It wasn’t a nurse or an assistant; it was my doctor, and the fact that he was personally calling filled me with a sense of dread. Rightfully so, he told me that one of my markers was very abnormal and implied prostate cancer. He had already arranged an appointment for me to visit with an oncologist at UVA Cancer Center.

Cancer is no fun. For almost two years, I have battled this awful disease. My wife and I have made the trip to the UVA Cancer Center more than fifty times over the past 22 months. We live with dread.
What’s even worse is that it never should have come to this. The problem was that – between Covid, relocating, closing down our businesses in Northern Virginia (and any other excuse I could think of) – I had not had actual blood work done in close to ten years. During this time the cancer had grown and spread. By the time we found it, it had advanced to Stage 4. Had I caught it earlier, I wouldn’t have such a battle on my hands. I often wonder what it would have been like had I done the blood work five or six years earlier.

Sadly, the chances of men developing prostate cancer are quite high.

Almost a quarter of men who die in their forties from other causes and are subsequently autopsied have prostate cancer and never knew it! That percentage climbs to over 50% of men in their 80’s. Guys, there is a very good chance you’re going to get it – or you may have it now. Like many men, I had no symptoms whatsoever.

There is good news here. Prostate cancer is very easy to diagnose. It is very slow growing and very treatable if caught early. Actually, if it is caught early enough, there’s a very high liklihood that you can completely eradicate the disease.

So….please stop reading right now and think about that man you care about who is over forty years of age. It could be your father, your husband, your brother, your uncle, a friend or maybe yourself. If you truly care about this person, one of the best holiday gifts you can give them is this story.

A simple blood test to check the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) level is all that is needed. If the prostate is elevated, your doctor might just recommend active surveillance (just keeping an eye on things with regular PSA tests.) If advanced, there are still a plethora of proven treatments to slow or even cure the disease.

So…here is my PSA (Public Service Announcemnt), please have your PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) checked as soon as you can.

Happy holidays and best wishes for a prosperous and healthy New Year. (And sincere wishes for many, many more.)

Jen Bailey

Hi! I’m Jennifer Bailey and I partner with entrepreneurs who have massive ideas that could change the world. Most marketing is meaningless. Filled with empty promises, its only job is to bring in new traffic, new leads, and new customers. But I’ve drawn a line in the sand, and I’ve learned that marketing can do so much more than reach business goals and build profit. My methods give businesses the fire and soul they need to reach the right people, set the groundwork for sustainable relationships, and offer true value to the people on both the giving and receiving ends of marketing.

Read more about me here