Losing My Daddy

By johnslilgirl71

1 min read

I was just 6 years old when I was told my dad was sick. I guess he didn't want me to see what the sickness was doing to him so he worked a lot. He ended up in the hospital early in October 1977 and passed away on the night of October 29th that yr. Growing up I didn't know what the sickness was until one day my mom told me it was prostate cancer that took my dad from me.

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Tony Collier Moderator & Contributor
Very sad but it’s good that you now know as the hereditary risk of prostate cancer is significant and men with a family history should be tested earlier and more regularly
Dennis E. Golden Moderator & Contributor
I so agree with Tony that it is good that you know and are now aware. Not long ago that it was not polite to speak of cancer down there. Growing up I often heard that male family members had simply died of old age. No one mentioned prostate cancer. Apparently it was not polite to discuss "those" things More recently several men have told me that when they announced they had prostate cancer to family members they were shocked to learn that others also had been diagnosed. One told his mother aid " your dad had that years ago its nothing do worry about" Again it is good you now know hope you will take a pro-active approach when it comes to regular check-ups Dennis (prostatecancer.net Team)
Richard Faust Community Admin
Hi Johnslilgirl71. Thank you for your willingness to share your story and highlight that men can get prostate cancer at a young age. As Tony said, with your father having PCa, it is important for male relatives to start getting their PSA tested at a young age. In addition, because your father had PCa when he was young, it increases to possibility that he had the BRCA genes. For this reason you may want to get tested for this gene, as it is a prominent driver for breast cancer. This article provides further detail on the BRCA genes and the connection between prostate and breast cancer: <a href='https://prostatecancer.net/clinical/prostate-cancer-breast-cancer/' target='_blank'>https://prostatecancer.net/clinical/prostate-cancer-breast-cancer/</a>. Wishing you the best. Richard (ProstateCancer.net Team)
Beverly Baldwin Moderator & Contributor
I applaud you for sharing your story and being so open! I too, did not know what prostate cancer was until it hit home with my dad as well. Now, I spend more time becoming proactive about the disease, assisting my uncles and cousins with getting regular check-ups. It is imperative that we push the men in our lives to complete regular check-ups. I am finding out that more men in my circle have in fact been affected by prostate cancer. Wishing you all the best in the future! Beverly (ProstateCancer.net Team)
1. Beverly Baldwin Moderator & Contributor
 @prostatecancercoach- you are absolutely right about that. Educating those in our inner circle can alleviate some "issues" further down the line. I also believe that when we educate the women, we educate the man. Women play a vital role in pushing the men in the lives to visit the doctor and be comfortable with doing so! Thanks so much for your perspective! Beverly (Prostatecancer.net Team)
2. Beverly Baldwin Moderator & Contributor
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