Yes, the PCRI Conference is a community or a village of people coming together to share the latest thoughts and ideas on how to deal with prostate cancer. And this, my friends, provides the ultimate calming effect; not only meeting others like you but also empowering each other with more knowledge and friendships and ultimately more solutions and peace of mind.

The 2017 Moyad + Scholz Mid-Year Update was an incredible and enlightening experience. Conferences hosted by the PCRI are created to provide education, empowerment, and support for all attendees. This year, patients and caregivers came together to learn the most recent, accurate information on prostate cancer, have the opportunity to ask questions directly to speakers, and find a peaceful environment to interact with others who understand their situation.

While at Pete’s Coffee to write my bi-monthly blog I ran into another regular who occasionally hangs out at Pete’s. Vandana is a professor at Loyola University.  She is an expert in the psychology of learning.  While we were talking I started to bemoan my struggles to educate people about prostate cancer. One of the biggest bugaboos I face is how people overestimate their grasp of the prostate cancer situation. Once I verbalized my complaint, Vandana immediately proposed I create a basic test of prostate cancer knowledge so men could self-assess their level of knowledge.  Thanks Vandana!

PCRI is committed to giving you the most up-to-date information and connecting you with professional support to fight prostate cancer. The PCRI process of education leading to empowered decision-making rests on the foundation of the contemporary “Patient-Centric Healthcare” (1). One critical aspect of this is simply called “Self-Care” (2).

As a prostate cancer survivor, my husband has been a believer in diet, exercise, and quality lifestyle choices. As our busy lives take us off-course at times, we continue to look for inspiration and strive to be our best support to one another. We have been on an adventure since his diagnosis, and are healthier because of it. 

Obtaining and maintaining copies of your medical information is an important part of understanding your cancer and your treatment options. It’s also a critical part of “new patient appointments” with physicians, ensuring you are equipped for emergencies and asking your doctor(s) the right questions in context of your individual biology.

The slamming emotional impact of learning that you have  cancer—that if it is untreated or defies control it may kill you—is difficult to describe, even when you have been though the shattering experience personally.

After interviewing thousands of newly-diagnosed prostate cancer patients, I have found that the first impressions of most patients about prostate cancer are almost always wrong.  Why?  There are several reasons.

For many men, a diagnosis of prostate cancer is a wake-up call to make lifestyle and dietary changes. If you have been diagnosed with the Low-Risk and even Intermediate-Risk form of the disease, and you have decided to delay radical treatment, it is particularly important to follow a diet known to inhibit cancer growth.