Four years ago his PSA was normal. He had a biopsy that revealed some cancer in his prostate, but nothing important. He started actively supervision, the wait -and -see approach, under the supervision of his doctor. In the next two years it grew quickly to phase 3 and spread outside his prostate gland.
“I suspected I would get it, but you know, you are still in denial,” he says about his reaction to cancer diagnosis. Because it had spread, the operation was not an option. He was put on a medicine to block the production of testosterone, the hormone that prostate cancer must grow. It also shrunk a part of the tissue, so radiation would be more effective.
He made a plan to clean up his diet by becoming vegan (to remove potentially carcinogenic foods) and to practice harder to become strong before further cancer treatment.
He also credits his wife Joan for her strength and support. Her mother died of ovarian cancer and her sister had breast cancer, so she had removed her ovaries and had a prophylactic breast amputation to prevent cancer. “She knew I was strong and wouldn’t give up,” he adds.
In April 2024 he went through Brachytherapy, an operation that places radioactive material in the body. In the case of Ron, he had inserted 14 needles into his prostate gland “, which pulled the entire gland with a high dose of radiation and then back the needles. It was an operation of four hours and the next day I was exercising again with my classes.” Although the average Joe could shake their heads at his determination, Ron is convinced that his routine was crucial to survive.
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