Here we are, decades beyond the first use of proton beam therapy in a clinical setting in the US, and insurance companies still call it experimental. For me, this is annoying. For those who want proton therapy but are denied insurance coverage because of its “experimental” status, this is much more than merely annoying. When a cancer patient who recognizes proton therapy as their best option for controlling their cancer while minimizing the risk of side effects is told they cannot have it, the denial can be devastating. Inspired by yet another insurance rejection in the news, I am compelled to ..read more

When I stumbled across a Yahoo News article entitled “Call for more investment to fix radiotherapy’s PR problem” I was certain they were talking about proton therapy because it is the form of radiation in dire need of better PR. As proton advocates know, bringing awareness of proton therapy to the public has been and continues to be a challenge. Everyone has heard of radiation, but even after decades of successful use in the treatment of many types of cancer, relatively few people even know proton radiation exists, let alone that it is indeed a form of radiation. Even in articles about proton ..read more

This one is not about prostate cancer or prostate therapy. This is my confession and apology to dog people everywhere. I’ll include cat people, too, assuming their experience may be similar, but I’ll restrict my references to dogs. I have often heard dog owners refer to their pets as “my kids” or “my little girl” or “my boy” and the like, and it has always struck me as slightly strange if not totally bizarre. After all, I told myself, they are referring to dogs, not small humans. It seemed to me that using such terminology undeservedly bestowed near-human status to a mere animal. Furthermore ..read more

This is a difficult article to write. In fact, I don’t really want to write about this topic at all. It’s not a pleasant subject for anyone, least of all a prostate cancer survivor like me. Or to be more precise, least of all for a prostate cancer survivor who has already tussled with this elephant, which thankfully I have not. Yet. Make no mistake about it. The elephant is here, whether we acknowledge it or not. If it’s not already in your room it is most certainly in your house or biding its time somewhere in your neighborhood. And we should talk about it. After all, nearly every one of us p ..read more

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late 2010, was treated with proton beam therapy in early 2011, and have had a relatively easy ride since then. I am a happy camper (thank you, University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute). Yet, when people ask me—as they often do—whether my cancer is “cured,” I am conflicted about how to answer. Let me explain why. First, there is the matter of semantics, along with intent. What exactly do they mean by “cured?” I’m not sure even the person asking me always has a precise definition. It seems like a reasonable question so they ask, but they may n ..read more

I couldn’t help but notice that Covid-19 is even worse than cancer for stoking our obsession with numbers. How many new cases? How many compared to yesterday? Compared to other places? How many recovered? How long does it last? When will it end? Is this focus on numbers helpful? Is it healthy? Or is it a destructive addiction, adding stress to our lives? We (admittedly meaning “I”) depend on and obsess over numbers 24/7/365. Can you imagine even just one day without being interested in, concerned about, or at least peripherally aware of them? Is there a way to live off the numbers grid for eve ..read more

From the moment in October 2010 when I was told I had prostate cancer it commanded all my attention. There was no time to waste on other matters that suddenly seemed trivial by comparison, which included just about everything. My life had dramatically shifted gears, and I swept nearly everything else off the table and out of the way. My mind was fully occupied with three things: cancer, cancer, and cancer. I had proton therapy for my prostate cancer in early 2011, and for about a year I remained totally focused on monitoring the progress of my recovery. But that changed in 2012 when I suddenly ..read more

This is a difficult article to write. In fact, I don’t really want to write about this topic at all. It’s not a pleasant subject for anyone, least of all a prostate cancer survivor like me. Or to be more precise, least of all for a prostate cancer survivor who has already tussled with this elephant, which thankfully I have not. Yet. Make no mistake about it. The elephant is here, whether we acknowledge it or not. If it’s not already in your room it is most certainly in your house or biding its time somewhere in your neighborhood. And we should talk about it. After all, nearly every one of us p ..read more

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late 2010, was treated with proton beam therapy in early 2011, and have had a relatively easy ride since then. I am a happy camper (thank you, University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute). Yet, when people ask me—as they often do—whether my cancer is “cured,” I am conflicted about how to answer. Let me explain why. First, there is the matter of semantics, along with intent. What exactly do they mean by “cured?” I’m not sure even the person asking me always has a precise definition. It seems like a reasonable question so they ask, but they may n ..read more

I couldn’t help but notice that Covid-19 is even worse than cancer for stoking our obsession with numbers. How many new cases? How many compared to yesterday? Compared to other places? How many recovered? How long does it last? When will it end? Is this focus on numbers helpful? Is it healthy? Or is it a destructive addiction, adding stress to our lives? We (admittedly meaning “I”) depend on and obsess over numbers 24/7/365. Can you imagine even just one day without being interested in, concerned about, or at least peripherally aware of them? Is there a way to live off the numbers grid for eve ..read more