Survivor Stories

Hear from men who've been through it.

As you go through the learning process about prostate cancer and ProstRcision^®, it helps to hear what other men in your situation have experienced. This short video takes you through the journeys of some of our former patients - from diagnosis through recovery.  Watch our video.

We have no shortage of men with courageous stories to tell.

They come from all walks of life, but each of them has been right where you are today—faced with an important decision to make. We hope their stories below bring you a lot of encouragement and even some clarity.

John Leak - Atlanta, GA

John Leak describes the events that led to his prostate cancer diagnosis as “happenstance with divine intervention.” John’s cancer was detected while he was being treated for kidney stones.

After his diagnosis of early-stage prostate cancer, John, 54, diligently researched treatment options. As a funeral director, he had often seen the end result of untreated cancer. Plus, a family member had recently died from liver and colon cancer, so finding his best treatment option was first and foremost on his mind. READ MORE.

Nancy and Woody Ray

Even before the Rays got the final diagnosis, the couple began reading everything they could find about prostate cancer. When their urologist confirmed the diagnosis was prostate cancer, he told Woody he should have surgery right away. However, Woody and his wife, Nancy, took a step back and split up research tasks. On the Internet, Nancy uncovered programs, groups and treatment approaches. Woody would read Nancy’s findings and, throughout, their family doctor continued to encourage the couple to explore all their options before making a treatment decision.

“At first I was looking at cure rate,” says Nancy. “I wanted my husband to be cured of prostate cancer. But right up there with cure were side effects, because the side effects of so many of these treatments are horrible, extreme and permanent.” READ MORE.

Calvin McIntyre - Bowie, MD

As an employee of the U.S. Government’s Business Transformation Agency of Bowie, MD, annual physicals are a regular part of Calvin McIntyre’s health care. It was following the blood work taken during on of these physicals that he got a call. His PSA was slightly elevated at 4.2—just high enough for concern.

Calvin was referred to a urologist who determined Calvin’s DRE (digital rectal exam) showed no lumps or changes on the prostate. It was the biopsy though that told the tale. Calvin had prostate cancer. His urologist suggested an immediate radical prostatectomy. But, as he acclimated to the news, Calvin decided to learn more about the disease and his options. READ MORE.

Kenneth Mims

In October of 1982, Kenneth Mims' physician found swelling in his prostate gland and hospitalized him for tests. After a biopsy, 58-year old Kenneth met with Dr. Critz to discuss treatment options for prostate cancer.

"Dr. Critz, my wife and I talked for about an hour and a half. I finally told him, I don't know anything about this; and I trust that anything you would do for yourself you would do for me." READ MORE.

John V. Thompson

It was a routine check-up by an internist that provided John Thompson with his first indication of prostate cancer, an abnormal PSA. His PSA registered 19.4 ng/ml.

A urologist found prostate cancer on biopsy. John, who remembered seeing a brochure on ProstRcision, asked about the procedure as a treatment option, but was encouraged to take a surgical approach. "My wife and I have a lot of medical friends who, along with the urologist, recommended I have the prostate taken out," he explains. "I chose to listen to what was then considered conventional wisdom." In June 1993, John had a radical prostatectomy. Although surgical margins were negative, his PSA fell to a nadir of only 0.24 ng/ml.

By the fall of 1993, John’s PSA had increased – news of unrealized significance. "I did not understand that an increasing PSA was bad news," he says. In 1995, Mr. Thompson’s PSA was 1.4 ng/ml. READ MORE.