Let’s have some straight talk here about men and prostate cancer. We are their wives, daughters, granddaughters, sisters. They are the men who mean the most to us in our lives: our husbands, fathers, grandfathers, brothers. Wondering what to get these lovable guys for Fathers’ Day? PICK UP THE PHONE, CALL THE DOCTOR, AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM SCREENED FOR PROSTATE CANCER! Yes, it’s that important for me to write it in big, block letters.

Whatever else you do for them or whatever great gift you may buy doesn’t come close in importance to making that appointment for them. You might be saving their lives; how’s that for a great gift?

Fathers’ Day is Prostate Cancer Awareness Day. Thanks to men like the great former skipper of the New York Yankees, Joe Torre, we are all more aware of the absolute necessity and tremendous importance to have our men get screened for prostate cancer.

Being diagnosed saved Mr. Torre’s life. He was diagnosed in 1999, had minimally invasive surgery, recuperated, and came back to manage his team into a fantastic World Series win. Today the PSA blood test has become a routine part of the annual check-up for men in the Yankees’ organization. And by the way, thank you, Joe Torre. Men admire you for the way you manage the Yankees and the way you conduct your life. Because of your calm example in dealing with this, you may have saved more lives than you will ever know. Bless you!

The screening for prostate cancer is done in the privacy of your doctor’s office. Blood will be drawn for a PSA blood test which measures a man’s prostate specific antigen. Your doctor will then perform a DRE, or digital rectal exam.

For the men reading this and wincing over the words “digital rectal exam,” let’s be blunt. A DRE is slightly embarrassing for men but definitely no more embarrassing than is a pap test for women. Both tests are designed to check for cancer and both tests can be life-saving. Why balk at an exam that can alert you to danger and help to save your life?

Some men are afraid that if their tests are positive and their prostate is removed via surgery they won’t be able to engage in sexual activity. This line of thinking is not true. After a healing process most men have little or no problem, and if there is a problem, there is help via medication. If you’re still worried about losing your sexual prowess think about this: YOU CAN ONLY HAVE SEX IF YOU’RE STILL ALIVE!! UNDERSTOOD?!!!

If you need an analogy, let’s liken your body to a car. You take care of your car so that it will keep on running well. You have “diagnostic” tests performed to make sure everything is okay and if one of those tests found something wrong, you’d get it taken care of as soon as possible. Don’t you owe it to yourself, and those who love you, to treat your body as well as you treat your car?

To the husbands, dads, grandfathers, brothers: if we “gently nag” you it is only because we, who love you, want you alive, healthy and enjoying life.

Have fun this Fathers Day. Laugh a lot, be silly, love well.And when your wife tells you about the doctor’s appointment she made for you, thank her and make sure you keep it. Your special gift to her is staying alive. Believe me, she will not ask for more.

Have a great Fathers’ Day!!




Sacred Jude in my life, miracles abound!!