Community Views: What Have You Done to Stay Positive With Prostate Cancer?

Staying positive can be difficult with prostate cancer. But keeping a positive attitude can help uplift us and motivate the community to continue to support each other.

To find out how folks in the community stay positive, we reached out on the ProstateCancer.net Facebook page. We asked, “What have you done to stay positive with prostate cancer?”

Over 100 community members provided insight into how they maintain a positive attitude and continue to persevere.

Keep doing activities you enjoy

Many people found it was helpful to stay active after being diagnosed. It was crucial to keep doing the activities they enjoyed before their diagnosis. Being able to enjoy the same pleasures and hobbies showed them that they would not be deterred by the disease.

“I'm living my life as I wish!”

“I keep busy and am trying to stay in shape.”

“I exercise every day, primarily walking. I believe it’s why I survived.”

“I use mindfulness meditation daily and perform moderate to intense exercises.”

Appreciate the support of loved ones

The support of family and friends has given many people the motivation to continue moving forward. Their loved ones can remind them of what to be grateful for and provide strong emotional support.

“I count my blessings. I have my loving wife and five kids giving me moral support.”

“I have a 9-year-old daughter to keep me busy and am trying to stay alive.”

“I lean on my significant other and re-engage in activities that I had disengaged from.”

Help others

Some people with prostate cancer have found gratification in sharing their story with others to increase awareness about their condition. Some also have found joy in directly helping others who may need it. It allows them to focus on what is valuable to them and give back to their communities.

“I have written articles on prostate cancer and conducted individual and group awareness sessions. I used my experience to weaponize others in their fight.”

“I worked as an Agency Social Worker for Foster Children. Assisting others enabled me to be less focused on my problems.”

Focus on what is important

Some community members say they continue to cherish the values they held before their diagnosis. Focusing on these values allows them to continue to be positive and appreciate each moment.

“I maintain a positive outlook on life, keep the glass half full, relish every moment, and have jettisoned anyone who exudes negativity or hatefulness.”

“Treat every day as a special day and live it to the fullest.”

Lean on faith

Leaning on spiritual faith has allowed some community members to withstand the difficult challenges that cancer can bring. Their faith helps them see the rewarding parts of their life. They can focus on the positive rather than get discouraged.

“At 73 years old I live my life one day at a time, and I thank God every day.”

“Positivity makes all the difference, and strong faith in God.”

“Staying prayerful and realizing that all things work together.”

Thank you

We are grateful for everyone who shared a lens into their personal lives and how they deal with prostate cancer. It gives us a greater understanding of what people with prostate cancer encounter and ways we can help promote positivity and awareness.