My Movember

As many of you probably already know, November is “Movember” month: an annual movement to spread awareness and raise funds for men’s health, especially focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention. Movember is also the world’s leading men’s health charity and has raised over $900 million globally to date, which has helped fund men’s health programs, medical and scientific research, and the development of new medications and treatments, among other things.¹

My Movember inspiration

My main interest in Movember, of course, is connected to my dad’s ongoing fight against advanced prostate cancer. I’ve previously written articles about my dad’s diagnosis in 2013 and his ongoing battle against the disease, and my perspective as his daughter and caregiver.

I, myself, have lived with a chronic illness (rheumatoid arthritis) for the last 22 years since I was a teenager, so I can relate and empathize somewhat with what he’s going through. They’re vastly different diseases, yet as chronic illnesses, they share things in common: the unpredictability and uncertainty of the illness, expensive and powerful medications and treatments (sometimes surgery), expected and unexpected side effects, and the emotional stress that comes with living with an incurable disease.

Encouraging test results

Right now, I’m very happy to report that my dad is doing pretty well. His current treatment is hormone therapy, after surgery and two rounds of radiation failed to completely wipe out the cancer. I can’t remember exactly which medication he’s on, but I know that it significantly decreases his testosterone, which helps stop the cancer from growing and spreading. I think he’s only had one injection of it, actually.

Dad’s latest labs showed a major decrease in his PSA level, which is encouraging and a huge relief -- for Dad and the rest of us who are worried about him and love him. My mother went with him to his last urologist appointment and she told me that his doctor was very happy with Dad’s response to the hormone treatment. He said the next plan of action was to actually just wait and monitor his PSA every few months and then go from there.

Too many “whys” without any answers

This is terrific news, although it’s not the news that I honestly and desperately want. I want my father completely cured of this nasty disease. I want the cancer GONE. The nagging thought that’s always in the back of my mind -- Dad has CANCER -- is a worrying and terrifying one. Why does he even have to have this in the first place? Why did he get such an aggressive form of the disease when his own father’s prostate cancer was stabilized decades ago? Why couldn’t the surgery have fixed everything? There are so many “whys” and hardly any answers, which is infuriating and maddening.

We need prostate cancer awareness now more than ever

One thing that I do know for certain, however, is that prostate cancer awareness is crucial in helping those live with the disease and to hopefully to find a cure for it in the near future. Movember is an important reminder for men to take care of their health, to stay on top of it, and to advocate for their own care. It’s also important for others to know how serious prostate cancer is, as well as other men’s health issues and illnesses.

My hope for Dad is that he can continue to have many years of a good quality of life even if he must live with prostate cancer. And during these years, I hope more research is done and more effective drugs are developed to finally cure this awful thing. If I could, I would grow a spectacular mustache this month (which is a part of the Movember movement) to help initiate and foster conversations with others about prostate cancer and how deeply it can affect people’s lives -- the patient’s as well as his family’s.

Happy Movember

Is it strange or wrong to say “Happy Movember?” I am happy it’s Movember, because the movement and the charity are essential parts of helping patients battle prostate cancer, cope and live with the disease, and find a cure.