Community Health Leaders
In order to stay up to date on the latest treatments, drug discovery, clinical studies, and how to cope with prostate cancer every day, ProstateCancer.net brings you frequent articles, blogs, opinions, and advice from leading health leaders and professional medical experts.
Current health leaders
Beverly Baldwin
Beverly Baldwin was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia. She has always wanted to help and educate those around her so she obtained her Bachelors and Masters degrees in education. She has been an elementary school teacher for 10 years. Read more.
Rausan Battle
A native son of Boston, MA with a degree in Business Management and marketing which I’ve exploited in many ways. Touching industries ranging from health and wellness, real estate, film, music, business operations and bio-tech start-ups, I’ve done a bit. I bring passion to everything I touch from a basic conversation with a neighbor to creating vision boards for business development. Read more.
Bobby Bofinger
In August 2020, Bobby Bofinger was diagnosed with Gleason 6, T1c prostate cancer at age 57. With a family history of prostate cancer, he was at high(er) risk for prostate issues, so he started regular annual prostate cancer screening at roughly age 42. Read more.
Tony Collier
I’m Tony, born in 1957 and diagnosed in May 2017 aged 60. I live South of Manchester in the UK and I’m an ambassador, awareness speaker and fundraiser for Prostate Cancer UK. Read more.
Jim Early
Jim Early is a 75-year-old physician who has been waging a successful war with his prostate cancer for most of the past 26 years. However, after 20 years of undetectable cancer, his PSAs slowly began to rise again. Read more.
Duane Estep
Duane Elvis Estep is a 54 year old teacher and coach for 30 years. He has been a sports editor since 1997. He holds a BA from West Liberty University and a Masters from Marshall University. He lives in West Virginia on a beautiful 100 acre farm with his family. Read more.
Dan Franke
Cancer survivor, Wait! strike that cancer survivor Warrior! Have two primary cancers and heart and other assorted health issues. Prostate cancer stage IV (2008) and Bladder Cancer (2015) Stage Zero. Read more.
Sue Franke
As a new member of this site, I’ve read many of the articles and advocate responses and realize that I’m in the company of people who share a similar goal – to share experiences and help others who find themselves in like situations. Read more.
Richard Faust
Richard is a Cross-Site Moderator for Health Union, as well as an accomplished communications specialist, writer, and researcher in health, science and technology, and policy. Richard has worked on P.R. for several Health Union Web sites and national patient surveys. Richard was introduced to Health Union by his wife, Kelly Mack, who has R.A. and is a RheumatoidArthritis.net contributor. Read more.
Gogs Gagnon
Gogs Gagnon, a computer programmer who has developed games for Apple Computer, utility software for IBM and the lead programmer analyst and data architect for the government of British Columbia, Canada, for over 35 years before retiring in 2015. Read more.
Dennis Golden
The lack of awareness encouraged me to use my knowledge about prostate cancer along with my talents as a professional speaker to educate men about this silent killer. It also inspired my founding the National Prostate Cancer Awareness Foundation www.PCaAware.org and its coaching partner – The Prostate Cancer Coach www.TheProstateCancerCoach.com . Read more.
Linda Hoetger
My name is Linda Hoetger on June 18, 2009, my life forever changed from wife to wife/caregiver. When my husband Ray and I were given the devastating news that he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Thankfully he remains in remission in 2022. Read more.
Rebecca Ironside, MSPT
Becca is a pelvic floor physical therapist who considers guys with prostate cancer her favorite people to be around. She considers it a high honor to assist men in reclaiming their sexuality and pelvic health. Becca has recently started a new telehealth pelvic floor company to assist people across the globe with urinary, bowel and sexual concerns. Read more.
Angela Lundberg
Angela Lundberg is a writer, photographer, and health advocate and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 18. Living with the disease for over a decade has made her passionate about patient advocacy, and determined to not let RA stop her from doing what she loves in life. Her father has been fighting prostate cancer since March 2013. Read more.
Guy Meredith
Guy and his wife of 43 years, Julie, and currently live in Salem, Oregon along with our Aussie shepherd, Jazz. Cancer coming into our lives gave us a whole new intimacy and understanding of each other. Despite having to dealing with her stroke, Julie has been my rock. Read more.
Alison Petok, MSW, LCSW, MPH
Alison Petok is an oncology social worker; she received her Master in Social Work and Master in Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in oncology research and currently serves as a clinical social worker in the Department of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University. Read more.
Jim Preen
I’m Jim Preen, a Londoner, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the Fall of 2017. I call my cancer The Unwelcome Guest. In my writing I try to tackle this intruder with a combination of honesty and humour, but inevitably darker topics are addressed; some of which might conceivably put you off your waffles and coffee. Read more.
Rick Redner
Ten years ago, I went to my Urologist for a prescription refill. He insisted on performing a digital rectal exam. When he finished the exam, he told me he felt a “suspicious lump” and I’d need a biopsy. Weeks after my biopsy I was told I had “a mildly aggressive cancer.” At the time I was clueless about how living without a prostate would affect my emotional, psychological, relational, marital, and spiritual life. Read more.
Rod Ritchie
Rod Ritchie is a Sydney-born writer, internet publisher, and breast cancer patient advocate. I am a regular poster on Twitter @malefitness and contribute to various closed breast and prostate cancer Facebook pages. Read more.
Alfred Samuels
In 2012, Alfred Samuels' life was drastically changed by an untimely diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer. For over eleven years, he has lived with the disease and advocated for those unable to express themselves. Read more.
Len Smith
Len Smith is a very “high grade” (Gleason 9) prostate cancer survivor diagnosed by biopsy on 5/3/2013, 5 weeks before his 69th birthday. Happily, Len's PSA in October 2017, was undetectable, i.e., he's most likely free of the PC, but like all PC survivors, he will have a PSA semiannually for the rest of his life as the PC can come back many years later. Read more.
Diane Talbert
Diane Talbert is a blogger, patient advocate, and speaker for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and a caregiver for her father who had prostate cancer. She presently writes for several organizations. She has been feature in Arthritis Today, Everyday Health, Arthritis Foundation, Black Doctor. Org, New York Times, and Health Central. Read more.
Frederick Thurber
I am a 66-year-old man living with prostate cancer. Although my PSA was anomalously low, a small lump was found on my prostate during an exam in 2018. The subsequent biopsy revealed stage IIIC prostate cancer. Read more.
Bob Tierno
In 2018 I was diagnosed with T2C prostate cancer discovered early and now have added survivor to my resume following successful DaVinci Robotic Surgery and PSA test results of <0.001 undetectable. There are/were many decisions to be made on this major detour on the way towards my 70th birthday in June, 2019. Read more.
Jim Bob Williams
Talented. Handsome. Accomplished. Jim-Bob Williams knows a lot of people like that. Jim-Bob practiced the principles of therapeutic humor as an engineer and manager for two major chemical companies. Humor and levity helped with stressful situations at work and home, such as mergers, compliance audits, and especially the loss of his youngest son to overdose. Read more.
Mike Wilson
I live in Arkansas and retired 2 years ago. I have been married for 40 years and have adult children. In January of 2018, a biopsy indicated I had Gleason 9 prostate cancer. I had RARP and was prepared to live with either or both of the two usual surgery issues; incontinence and ED. What actually happened changed my world and made cancer take a backseat. Read more.
Former health leaders
Earl Bowen Jr
Dr. Bowen’s research background focus addresses the psychosocial implications of prostate cancer among African American men. In January 2015, his work on prostate cancer survivorship among this population was published in The Journal of Research and Development and subsequently in the International Journal of Neurorehabilitation. Read more.
Dan Cole
Hi everybody, my name is Dan Cole. I am a 57 year old factory worker from Michigan. I've been married for 31 years and have two adult sons. I also have a 5 year old black Lab named Zoey, whom you will hear all about. Read more.
Chuck Cole
Charles Cole is 64 years old. I live in Central Florida just west of Disney with my wife of 39 years and I have 2 daughters 35 and 29. I am recently retired from Universal Studios Orlando Florida as a Show Control special effects. I joined the U.S. Navy 1983-1987. Read more.
Erin Glace
Erin Glace, MSPT, PRPC, BCB-PMD, is the clinical director of the Physical Therapy and Urodynamics departments at Urology of Virginia. She is a graduate of the University of Florida with her bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy and a graduate of Old Dominion University with an advanced master’s degree in Physical Therapy. Her sole focus of treatment is pelvic floor dysfunction and she has worked with the doctors at Urology of Virginia since 2000. Read more.
Mac Howard
I am 55 now. A 13 year survivor of Bladder cancer. That said, I am so much more. I am a husband of 34 years (lucky woman), a father of 3, a foster father of 19, a coach and supporter of more things than I can count. I have been a volunteer firefighter. Read more.
Will Jones
Despite health challenges like coronary artery disease, diagnosed in 2010, and prostate cancer, diagnosed in 2017, Will enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle that includes hiking, backpacking, rock climbing and playing golf. He is also active as a volunteer in his community and a regular contributor to “Journal Plus: The Magazine of the Central Coast.” Read more.
Mariah Zebrowski Leach
Mariah is a writer and patient advocate who lives in Colorado with her husband and two young sons. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the middle of law school, Mariah now uses her law degree to help people with chronic health issues. Read more.
Simon Lord
In 2010, aged 50, Simon Lord was diagnosed with T2C prostate cancer. T2C means that it was in both sides of his prostate, but only in his prostate. He was lucky in several ways. Firstly because his cancer was found before it had spread to other parts of his body, secondly because he was otherwise in good physical health and finally and probably most importantly he had a great supportive family and network of friends. Read more.
Freddie Muse Jr.
Freddie Muse Jr. is a 10 year prostate cancer survivor diagnosed January 2007, and founder of The Men’s Cancer Network, Inc. located in greater Los Angeles, CA and founded in 2008. The organization provides professional education from qualified licensed doctors. Included in the education are experts from the community that facilitate to the local community churches, health fairs, senior centers, community libraries and cancer support group meetings that all contribute to “Saving Our Men”. Read more.
Nick Myers, PhD
Nick Myers, or "Dr. Nick" as people affectionately call him, is currently a Medical Care Coordinator (MCM). He received his B.A. in Psychology from Old Dominion University, his M.A. in Human Sexuality & Health Studies from New York University and his Ph.D. from Widener University in Human Sexuality Education. He has written sexual health education materials and articles, created informational videos and even co-hosted an online radio show on sexual health in relationships. Read more.
Rebecca Palpant-Shimkets
Rebecca Palpant Shimkets is a two-time thyroid cancer survivor and the daughter of two cancer survivors. Fourteen of her immediate family members have experienced cancer. She was 29 years old at the time of her first diagnosis and experienced a recurrence just four years later. Rebecca has a 20-year career in mental health focusing initially on the assessment and treatment of mental illnesses. Read more.
Chris Pedlar
Chris lives and works in North Devon (United Kingdom) and has a history of Prostate Cancer in his family. His Grandfather died from Prostate Cancer and his father had a radical prostatectomy in the late 90’s and is still going strong providing a great source of inspiration. Read more.
TK Sellman, RPSGT CCSH
TK Sellman, RPSGT CCSH is a career journalist (Columbia Chicago, ’90). She was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia in 2010, which inspired her to go back to school to become a sleep technologist in 2012 and a professional sleep educator in 2014. Read more.
Virgil Simons
Virgil Simons is the Founder & President of The Prostate Net, non-profit patient education and advocacy organization committed to providing credible and actionable information that will minimize the negative impact of prostate cancer. Using the experiences gained as a 25-year survivor of prostate cancer and a patient advocate. Read more
Greg Reynolds
Greg Reynolds is a retired electrician of 40 years. He now teaches electronics at his local junior college and does volunteer work for his church and local hospital. He’s 60 years old, lives in a small community in down state Illinois. He has a 29 year old recently married daughter. Greg's been a PC fighter since 2013. He has lead a very athletic life, including competing as a natural bodybuilder in his 40’s. Read more.
Tom Schultz
Tom was diagnosed with Stage One prostate cancer in August 2016 and his urologist at the time encouraged him to get a Prostatectomy. At the urging of his children, he got a second opinion and met with an oncologist. His oncologist recommended active surveillance due to his PSA and Gleason score at the time and discussed future treatment with CyberKnife radiation. It is now 16 months later and Tom is still Stage One and is continuing to work with his healthcare team to monitor for any signs of progression. Read more.
Todd Seals
Todd Seals is an 11+ year, stage IV, prostate cancer warrior. Diagnosed June of 2006 stage IV with widespread metastasis and initial PSA of over 3200. Life is about quality, not quantity. We all die yet many never live. Todd speaks from experience. Cancer may take his life but it has taught him to live. It put everything into perspective and gave him a second chance. He writes about living with cancer focusing not on disease but on life. Cancer will always be a part of the story but never the focus. Read more.
Tom Sheppard
Tom Sheppard at age 76 considers himself one of the lucky ones. He says he is in pretty good shape for the shape he is in. After 2 radiation series and dally medication his PSA has been 0.00 for 14 months. However research and the oncologist say chances are it is still lurking undetected. Read more.
John Teisberg
John Teisberg is a prostate cancer survivor of 10 years. He is an active moderator for a lively online support group for men living with cancer. He has organized and lead support groups for men for over 30 years. Read more.
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