Reflections of a Daughter of a Prostate Cancer Survivor

By Melissa Stewart

I can remember sitting in the San Francisco airport on an August afternoon in 2008. I was annoyed because my flight was delayed for over 5 hours and all I wanted to do was get home. Then I got the call.

My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

At the time, he was 65 years old, single and living 2000 miles away from my brother and me. Within a week I was on a flight to help him make some big decisions. I was armed with information, connections and suggestions that I gained from my career in oncology. I knew that my arsenal of cancer information was going to be useful since my dad isn’t exactly the most computer-savvy and has barely spent any time in hospitals or with doctors. I felt lucky, but it was still my dad and I felt equally as helpless as I felt prepared.

Deciding how to fight prostate cancer is particularly challenging because of the wide variety of treatment options. It’s such a personal choice and there are pros and cons to each. After attending many appointments, reading, discussing and having conversations with my dad I never thought I would, I was able to help him make the best decision for his case.

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