Prostate Cancer - A Personal Look

David Lowery has prostate cancer and wishes he were more aware of it back in 2008 when he was first diagnosed. He never thought about it prior to diagnosis, had regular digital rectal exams and was healthy. It came as quite a shock when he had his first PSA blood test that was very elevated; and, after 4 months of waiting for useful medical advice was sent to the Juravinski Cancer Centre for a biopsy that confirmed he was into the aggressive stage of the disease. At that point, intervention was started.

One in six males will be diagnosed with prostate cancer with 70%-80% having a slow growing version that will likely not cause death. The remaining 20%-30% will have the aggressive form and will likely die of the disease. David feels that at present the medical system is geared towards the 80% group during the initial doctor/patient contact. During his 4-month wait his PSA went from 30 to 50 as his condition worsened.

David says no one really knows what causes prostate cancer but men over 60, those of African descent and those having a family history are at higher risk. He suggests that men at risk regularly need to have both the DRE and the PSA test.

Since being diagnosed, David has started another career. His new career is dealing with cancer. It has become a full-time job, with doctor visits, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone treatment and recovery. During the four years he has had periods of remission but the cancer never went away and has now spread to his spine.

When David retired in 2007 as an engineer he joined the Rotary Club of Dundas Valley Sunrise looking for a way to serve his community. He does that but his new career, one that he neither chose nor knew was coming, tends to get in the way.