Profile of Hope: Dr. Carlton McGregor tells us about how different types of support helped him during his prostate cancer treatment

Q: What recommendations do you have for someone going through prostate cancer [3] or any cancer?

A: I think it's always good to have a support group. It's always easier to talk to somebody who has been through cancer than to just sit there. You can always read about cancer, but it's nice to have someone who can tell you what to expect based on their experiences. And, the more people you talk to, the better understanding you will have about treatment and recovery.

For example, I called one of the members of my support group who is a doctor at New York Presbyterian Hospital with me. He sent me his diary where he wrote about his symptoms [4] after his surgery to remove his prostate. Talking to him and reading the diary gave me an idea of what to expect when I was healing. If you can join a support group of people who have already been through prostate cancer [3], it makes it a lot easier than going through it alone. It can even be helpful to your wife or mate because they can talk to the partners of other men to find out what happens and know what to expect, especially regarding sexual dysfunction and rehabilitation.

Q: Did you have other types of support while you were going though your experience?

A: My surgeon and physicians were all good. Of course, my wife was an excellent support. And, my faith has been a big part of my life. I knew that after going through prostate cancer [3] I wanted to do something about it-that my experience could be used for some greater good. The key thing is to help people have greater awareness of the gift that God has given them-their health. And, it's not a gift to take for granted. We have a tendency to abuse our bodies, but I want to tell people not to ignore their bodies. I want to raise awareness about prostate cancer so other men can get screened for the disease. If you know you have a family history [5] of prostate cancer, you can't just ignore it and pretend it's not going to happen. You should take care of yourself and realize that there might be available treatment. I hope that people will understand that health starts and ends with them. Hopefully, they'll access the information and do something good for their health.

To read more about prostate cancer, Dr. McGregor recommends visiting the Mayo Clinic Prostate Cancer website [6].

Profiles of Hope is a series of testimonials with community leaders and members, written by HHPC and reviewed by our Health Advisory Board.