Prostate Cancer: No Walk in the Park

Disney World has been around for decades. It opened in 1971, and there is so much to do at the park, from live performances, to rides, to dining, and shopping.

Unfortunately, unlike at Disney, a prostate cancer diagnosis is no walk in the park. You are faced with obstacles one can only imagine.

A walk through prostate cancer

Making the right choice

Before traveling to Disney World, travelers seek out lodging so that their stay is comfortable. Do you need double beds, a deluxe suite, full kitchen? This becomes part of the overall vacationing experience.

With prostate cancer, it can mean a cancer patient selecting their team of doctors. As patients navigate their cancer journey, they want to be sure they choose a team of doctors that will make the best decisions on their behalf. Their doctors must be the right fit for them.

Dealing with costs

Admission tickets represents the financial obligations of prostate cancer. Purchasing the tickets at Disney merely gets you into the park. It does not cover other expenses that may be accrued once you step inside the park. With prostate cancer, other financial obligations can bombard you, because some insurances only cover you for a certain time frame and for a certain amount of money.

Unexpected twists and turns

Visitors at Disney tend to look up at a roller coaster to see if we would be able to handle getting on that ride. A prostate cancer diagnosis may be much like this roller coaster. You may jump on this roller coaster, yet each twist, turn, and drop still catches you off guard, even though you tried to size up the roller coaster before getting on.

Different characters

Throughout Disney, you’re greeted by Mickey Mouse and all of his friends. With prostate cancer, characters may be all the doctors you may meet or have on your cancer journey. My dad had so many doctors we had to maintain a journal. He had an oncologist, urologist, cardiologist, and gastroenterologist, just to name a few.

Choosing a treatment

Disney has various types of foods you can try. The variations signify foods from all over the world.

With prostate cancer, it's not so much different foods, but rather a variety of different treatment options one may choose from.

There were few options when my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. As prostate cancer has become more rampant, more treatment options have become available. Just as you choose the best-tasting foods for your palette, you choose the best treatment option for yourself.

Survivorship

Each night before Disney closes, there is a firework show at Cinderella’s castle. Fireworks have been around for centuries. They have been used as a way to celebrate national prosperity and independence.

I think fireworks represent prostate cancer moving into a level of remission. The journey of survivorship can be celebrated.

A long journey

All in all, a cancer diagnosis is no walk in the park. It is a journey where you can become overwhelmed with you care team, what treatments to take, financial obligations, as well as maintaining a healthy family life. Encourage the men in your life to get screened and tested for prostate cancer.