Episode 5: Black Men Talk About Prostate Cancer: Philip Atkins and Stephen Harris

Two men share their stories about prostate cancer, offering raw testimonies that could save lives. Philip Atkins and Stephen Harris share their deeply personal journeys from diagnosis through treatment – each following different paths but united by courage and determination.

Philip discovered his prostate cancer in 2023 during a routine kidney transplant follow-up. When his PSA registered at 11.8, doctors confirmed Stage 3+4 Gleason 7 cancer. Due to his transplant, Philip underwent brachytherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy instead of surgery. 

Stephen's story reveals the importance of vigilance. Despite regular screening, his 2018 diagnosis showed cancer had already spread to his hip and lymph nodes. Now living with incurable cancer, Stephen manages it through Lupron injections and daily Xtandi tablets, while battling side effects like depression, dehydration, and weight fluctuations.

Both men highlight how the Zero Prostate Cancer Black Men's Therapy Group transformed their experiences. This biweekly gathering offers emotional support and practical knowledge about treatments, medications, and coping strategies. They emphasize family support as crucial – Philip credits lifestyle changes and his wife's understanding attitude, while Stephen celebrates 50 years of marriage to a woman he says saved his life.

Whether you're concerned about your own health or supporting someone you love, these stories offer invaluable wisdom from those walking the journey. Listen, learn, and most importantly, take action.

Chapters

• 0:00 Podcast Introduction
• 0:49 Philip's Prostate Cancer Journey
• 5:13 Treatment and Side Effects
• 8:26 Family Support and Mental Health
• 14:18 Lifestyle Changes and Future Outlook
• 20:20 Stephen's Prostate Cancer Experience
• 32:25 Finding Hope and Taking Action
• 38:54 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information

Transcript

Grantley Martelly: 0:11

This is the Real Health Black Men podcast, where we empower men to take control of their health. We provide vital information and build community support. Join us as we discuss everything from major health challenges to mental wellness to physical fitness. So if you're ready to level up your health and your life, you're in the right place. Let's get started. Welcome back to Real Health Black Men podcast. I'm excited for you to hear the story of my next guest. His name is Philip Atkins and we met through the Zero Prostate Cancer Black Men's Therapy Group, and I'm excited to hear his story. So, philip, thank you for joining us today and welcome to the podcast.

Philip Atkins: 1:06

Hey, thank you, Grantley. Thank you for having me and I appreciate the opportunity to give my story. We met at the Zero Prostate Cancer therapy group and it's a group where men like us, we get to talk about our stories and our challenges while living with prostate cancer and just gives us an opportunity to realize that we're not in this alone and that we have opportunities to learn from other people and what they've been going through and possibly learn some things that can help ourselves. In fact, we also might be helping somebody else while we talk about our story. Just to give you, as quick as I can, a little update on me, on the history of me and my journey with prostate cancer.

Grantley Martelly: 1:55

Before you begin, tell us where you're from as well, where you live, what you do for a living, so our audience can get to know you a little bit. Sure, sure.

Philip Atkins: 2:03

I'm actually from New York City. However, I went to school in Kansas and lived in Denver, colorado, and lived in Maryland right around the DMV area they call it and now I live in Delaware. I'm married, I have a daughter, grandson and wife, and I live here in Delaware and I'm a quality assurance manager quality assurance in the food industry and, like I said, it would be last a long time Quality assurance, making sure that the food that you receive is of the utmost quality.

Grantley Martelly: 2:53

Thanks for that intro. Yeah, let's get into your story now.

Philip Atkins: 2:56

Yeah, my journey with prostate cancer began in May of 2023. I'm also a kidney transplant patient and in May I'd gone for my annual checkup and the doctor. Part of the checkup is to do a blood test so that the doctor can check all the different things that he needs to look at. The nephrologist needs to look at body and he just suggested that I have a PSA test because I hadn't had one since my transplant in 2015. So when we got back to results, my PSA was elevated. It was 11.8. Of course, my doctors fed me to urologist. The urologist did his digital rectal examination and he also did a biopsy. The biopsy came back and confirmed yes, I have prostate cancer and it was Gleason stage 3 plus 4 equals 7, and it was stage B to B. B means that it was aggressive and that would factor in what type of treatments I would have later on. Of course, I went through a battery of tests a CAT scan, a bone scan, mri and all of that just confirming and making sure the cancer it was localized and everything. And so it was localized in the prostate, which is great. Hadn't spread anywhere in my bones or any bones or any other area of my body. But we decided because I have a kidney transplant and the chanceed kidney is still close to the prostate.

Philip Atkins: 4:28

They chose not to do surgery and they chose to do radiation brachytherapy, which is feeding plants, and also to also do chemotherapy. So I had the brachytherapy in March of last year and I followed that a couple of months later with radiation and that was about 22 treatments and that went well. The brachytherapy had no problems with slight discomfort after the in and out patient procedure nothing real bad. An outpatient procedure no real nothing real bad, just slight discomfort. Of course there is some blood in the urine Three or four days after that that goes away. And no problems, no difficulties.

Philip Atkins: 5:16

The radiation I had a little bit of fatigue during that time and some muscle weeds just didn't feel as strong and I also was told that that was normal. That I actually did quite well for most patients. Actually I was supposed to have about six or seven weeks but the radiation went so well that it ended after about five weeks. It did what it's supposed to do during that. The next thing, the third part of my treatment plan, was hormone therapy and the hormone that injection that I got was called elegard and that shot last six months. So I had my first shot in june of last year and when I went back to have my second shot I found out that my PSA level was undetected.

Grantley Martelly: 6:10

The number of last year, so that was a blessing.

Philip Atkins: 6:14

But we still have the second shot, just to make sure. I guess it might turn out to give it a knockout punch just to make sure that everything is in shape. The only problems I have with the hemohormone therapy I'd like to give it a knockout punch just to make sure that everything is. The only problems I have hormone therapy the therapy is fatigue, muscle weakness, hot flashes which that's crazy, man. As we reach a certain age and our wives or significant others reach certain age, they may incur that, and it was odd for me to have it. It's just very it'd be frustrating at times because I would be standing there and just break out in a sweat and people think that there's something going on.

Philip Atkins: 6:58

I'm like it'll be over in a couple minutes. Give me a napkin, give me a towel and I'll be all right. And of course you do have the main. I call them the main side effects of the Elgar to normal therapy for me has been frequent urination sometimes. There's sometimes some leakage and erectile dysfunction, but that is part of the course. You know that's how many get the hydrocell shot. That's been it for me in a nutshell. Overall the journey has gone pretty well. I think, especially in the beginning you worry a lot because back in the day when I was younger, here a person getting prostate cancer, you think immediately oh my gosh, very soon, rapidly. Unfortunately my father passed with prostate cancer about 20 years ago. So I saw that. But he actually from his first diagnosis until when he passed it was almost 20 years. So I had to look at. I stay positive in that manner, keeping that in the forefront of my mind.

Grantley Martelly: 8:27

Okay, thank you very much for relaying your story. It's very interesting there. Let's talk a little bit about family support. Did you have any family support? How did your family take this and how have you guys been doing on this journey?

Philip Atkins: 8:46

I will say that my family and friends, several friends, they have been very supportive and it's funny that initially, as I said, with the mental part of this journey you're worried and concerned.

Philip Atkins: 8:54

But when you start talking and opening up to other people you find out oh, my cousin had that, oh, my father had, he's been, he had it six years ago, he's still going strong. Or some other relative or friend in all positive moods, especially my wife, my daughter and a couple of other close friends. They keep me positive. Keep me positive With prostate cancer. You're encouraged to-changing diet and my doctors, neurologists and the radiology oncologists, they both said, hey, try a Mediterranean diet, eat less meat, eat less processed meat, eat more vegetables and things like that. I've been doing that. That since March of last year I've lost about 25 pounds. So that's a benefit from living with prostate cancer. I've lost some weight, which is great. I feel better. I still do have some of the weakness in the muscle, muscle weakness and fatigue, but in general I'm okay pretty much. If I don't tell anybody I have prostate cancer, they have no clue.

Grantley Martelly: 10:13

Okay, that's encouraging. You used to hear the family support and your changes in diet. I was going to ask you about changes in lifestyle as well. But let's go back to the mental part of it. Sometimes, as we talk as men, we come to realize that there's this emotional, mental and emotional journey that when you hear the word you have cancer, that sometimes it's difficult to talk about and our support group helps us to talk about it. What was your mental journey like when you joined this whole process and how is it now compared to then? Oh, yeah, compared to then.

Philip Atkins: 10:49

Oh yeah, but let me in the beginning, like I said, sitting there, dr Goldstein used me to diagnosis you in shock. I was in shock and then, of course, like I said, my father died from prostate cancer. Some men that I really looked up to are I call them silent mentors that I've just watched their lives over a period of time that fast and prostate cancer it really hit me. But then again, like I said, the support that I've had, this view and my faith, that has pulled me through time and time again, it's important. Let me talk about that. I look forward. We meet every other week, basically I look forward to that. Every Monday at 8 o'clock I'm there and I want to hear not only about the stories of those men but usually how they have benefited from the group that we're in and also because you learn so much in there whether it's about different medications, different procedures that different men have had, because it's not just get a prostatectomy or do radiation or do the hormone therapy.

Philip Atkins: 12:08

It could be a combination. It could be like all like me, me, or it could be they only had one or they couldn't have even been told by their physician to wait. Let's wait and see. If the levels aren't that high, it's not moving rapidly up. So just hold on and wait.

Philip Atkins: 12:25

So you learn about things that I didn't necessarily know in the beginning. You also learn about different techniques because, as I mentioned with the erectile dysfunction, there are different things that a man can do to help with that Up to and including which is very important help from his partner. Partner and her attitude. Her attitude and how she deals with you is a great thing. I hear many men say that their spouses are helping them. They're very understanding. That's a great thing to see because I can tell you in the beginning there's a song way back in church days no man is an island, no man stands alone, and if you're sitting there in the room by yourself wringing your pants and woe is me you're going to get lost pretty quick.

Philip Atkins: 13:20

But this support group in particular this is great to see 10, 20 guys on the call and we have doctors come through. We've had pharmacists come through and we have doctors come through. We've had pharmacists come through. We have counselors come through and help us. They answer questions and tell us different things. They give us different resources that we can use to make this journey easier. It'd be easy, but it'd be easier.

Grantley Martelly: 13:50

Yeah, it's something that we have to live with, but it does definitely help to have that support, and to see all Black men getting together to talk about these things really helps. Let's talk a little bit about the lifestyle changes. You said you changed your diet to the Mediterranean diet. You've lost 25 pounds. How difficult was that to do, and are you doing anything else, like exercise or other things, that you believe is really helping you?

Philip Atkins: 14:14

My wife and I were almost on the Mediterranean diet anyway. We didn't do a lot of beef, didn't do a lot of processed food. I guess I'm cooking the house. When we eat out, ate out, it's almost like I'll call it a cheat day, and not even that bad. We might go out and have seafood or something like that, or buy some ribs, which is a rarity for us. We don't do that much anyway, so it wasn't hard. The exercise I'm mainly just doing walking. I do need to get back in the gym. I actually have weight downstairs but, like I said, the Eligar when it first took effect strongly just made me feel weak and I do know that I need to get back in the gym because that will counteract that weakness. So I do need to integrate more of that into my program.

Grantley Martelly: 15:04

but the walking, that's pretty much all I'm doing yeah, we know that walking is a very good form of exercise, right? So we don't need to put that down. Walking, if you can keep walking. I've found that since mine that just keep moving. I just say, keep moving. Now that exercise is. One of my doctor friends who we've actually had on this podcast says exercise is movement. Don't necessarily think about what you're going to do, but how you're going to move and how you're going to keep your body moving. So let's talk about then your overall outlook. How is your overall outlook on life right now? Are you positive, are you excited?

Philip Atkins: 15:48

Yeah, greatly, I'm excited. I was just having a conversation two days ago with my old roommate in college and we were talking. They made us just much apart and I said, man, in 15 years we'd be 80 and he was like, wait a minute, don't say that. But I was like, for me, I'm planning on being here, god willing. I'm planning on being here, god willing, I'm planning on being here in 15 years. And, like I said, my father lasted a little longer than that and, like you just said, he was always moving. He had a garden in the backyard, he was just doing something and I'm getting your point. Like the doctor told you, do something Like gardening, doing stuff around the house.

Philip Atkins: 16:34

Some people may think of piddling around that movement, possibly just getting the blood flowing, increasing your metabolism, things like that's going to help you out. Yeah, I have a good outlook. My wife and I are traveling here and there and everywhere after we find the money tree and also, like I mentioned a couple minutes ago, 65, headed towards 66 soon. So we're thinking of retirement, but retirement from my career. But I'm going to be doing some other things with her. She has her own business. I'm going to do some things with her and my daughter is starting up something another business so I'm planning on keeping being around here for a while. Yeah, they're going to keep you busy. They're going to keep you busy.

Grantley Martelly: 17:30

So, in wrapping this up, if there are any guys out there who are listening to this and they're having some questions about what do I need to do, what should I need to do they may not even know they have prostate cancer, they just haven't been to the doctor, or they're scared, or they're hearing a lot of these rumors and stuff. What would your advice be to them about taking control of their health?

Philip Atkins: 17:58

First thing I'd say if you've had anyone males, you're fairly likely to have had prostate cancer and for your prostate, go to the doctor and do a PSA test In free prostate. Go to the doctor and do a PSA test If your insurance doesn't pay for it. It's not an expensive test to pay for. In your own it's $15 to $75. Do it, it could be a lifesaver.

Philip Atkins: 18:25

Also, I've talked to many guys, as I said earlier, in reference to my situation and let them know about my situation, and a lot of guys that I know have actually gone because they heard, listened to me. They've gone and gotten a TSA check. You don't have to do the digital rectal examination. You don't have to do that. You can get a blood test. So if you're going for any other type of blood test, let's get that. Just put it on the script.

Philip Atkins: 18:53

It's the same blood, they're not going to take more blood and at least you have, you know, a couple of weeks or however long, that peace of mind and knowing it's not elevated or it is and okay, now I have to make some decisions and do something about it. But the main thing is to get out there guys and get checked. What we do know especially we talked about it in our group prostate cancer affects one in eight men in this country, but it affects one in six black men in this country and it's something that is very curable. It's a very curable cancer, especially if you catch it early. So go in there, like I said, ask your doctor to put it on a strip or just get it done. Just get it done, gentlemen.

Grantley Martelly: 19:41

Thank you very much, philip. I enjoyed our conversation. I'm looking forward to seeing you more on our biweekly meetings, and we know that this, like you said, this is something that can be managed if we catch it early, and the goal is to catch it early. So, guys, don't be afraid to step out there, ask the questions. If you don't know, you can even start by calling your doctor or sending them an email and saying hey, I've got some questions, can I just come in and talk to you? Well, at least get the conversation started. Today. My guest is Mr Stephan Harris. He's a friend that I've met through the Prostate Cancer Black Men Support Network and I'm excited for you to hear his story and for us to share his story with you through the Prostate Cancer Black Men Support Network. And I'm excited for you to hear his story and for us to share his story with you.

Stephen Harris: 20:37

I'm Stephen Harris. I'm a financial advisor and a litigation consultant. Still enjoy working. It's definitely a hells reality to keep working.

Stephen Harris: 20:50

We say my journey started probably around 95 or so, when I would listen to a few of my friends, older friends I'm 75 years old, by the way. A few of my older friends around my age were around 50 years old at that time. Well, I had prostate cancer. Several of them had prostate cancer. Well, what should I do? Tell me more. Well, we suggest you make sure, when you go after your annual physical, get a digital rectal exam. Definitely get that, even though you won't like it, PSA exam.

Stephen Harris: 21:36

I said sure, so I did that, for I lose track of these years, probably don't want to remember the actual years.

Philip Atkins: 21:51

I would go in for the annual digital rectal exam and the PSA exam.

Stephen Harris: 21:54

I'm sure it was in 1998. And I went into Kaiser Permanente, got these two chairs along with the annual physical. Mr Harris, we need you to come and talk with us. He said well, can't you just tell me on the phone I don't feel like coming to see you. I said why do I need to come?

Philip Atkins: 22:18

Just tell me Well we need to come in.

Stephen Harris: 22:21

W e can't tell you over the phone. So I went in.

Grantley Martelly: 22:25

Mr.

Stephen Harris: 22:25

Harris, your PSA level is very high also around 4.8. I said okay, so tell me more. Well, we're going to have to do a biopsy, so I believe, in about two days. I went in and had a biopsy. We came back to results. Mr Harris, you definitely have prostate cancer. Mr Harris, you definitely have prostate cancer. No-transcript for drink-to-purposes or to minimize what's going to happen to you. So I would go out, like I said, regularly for these exams the digital rectal exam, the prostate exam and I still end up with prostate cancer.

Stephen Harris: 23:21

Wow, I said wow, not only did I have prostate cancer. Regardless of his test, the cancer had left the cancer I thought that was. The purpose of his test is to make sure the cancer is contained on your prostate to make it easier and more effective to kill the cancer. And this cancer had progressed into my right hip and my lymph nodes throughout my body. Soon we'll have cancer, and this was 1998. What are we going to do now? Well, be fair as how fast you want to go.

Stephen Harris: 24:09

Well, I want to go super fast, rocket ship. So immediately I contacted several cancer centers Scripps Cancer Center in San Diego, UCLA Cancer Center, USC Cancer Center, Cancer Center of America. My wife had recommended I go to Sloan-Kettering in the city. New York City.

Stephen Harris: 24:37

I said no when I go to the city, I want to have fun. I'm not going to have fun with this old place, so I'll make it a short story. I went to several different centers. Well, what can we do? What can we do? One center said well, we're going to give you medicine. How long are we going to be on this medicine? Well, for the rest of your life. I said, oh no, I have to go. Thank you very much.

Grantley Martelly: 25:06

Well, I see the sign.

Stephen Harris: 25:08

They told me what they would do. I said okay, 42 cancer treatments and I completed a day for an Asian treatment. So now I found I have incurable cancer. It's held at bay by Lupron. I go in every three months for the injection of Lupron and every day I take four tablets of a medicine called Xtendi. What it does is suppresses your body's production of testosterone, and testosterone is literally food or candy for cancer.

Stephen Harris: 25:52

And because you're, the cancer is deprived of testosterone. The cancer is in dormant state. So again, I have incurable cancer Side effects. Are these side effects dripped on me because I wasn't told all of these side effects in the beginning? Well, mr Harris, you might. It was a little weak, mr Harris, you might listen. Later on I found out accidentally that one of the side effects is depression and anxiety, dry skin dehydration. I mentioned the weight gain which threw me off for a loop. I was gaining a little bit of weight. I let my pants down. Once they told me what was causing the weight gain, they extended it. So he told me what was causing the weight gain to extend. I made sure I didn't eat as much. You know a little bit more careful with my eating. My weight dropped down, went back to the same tailor. Mr Tailor, would you please take?

Grantley Martelly: 27:02

him out. It's cool. Thank you, Stephan, for that. You're welcome For telling us your health history. I've got a couple questions. So you have been living with cancer for 26 years?

Stephen Harris: 27:17

No, no, no no, I'm losing track. I'm losing track.

Grantley Martelly: 27:21

You said, you got diagnosed in 1998.

Stephen Harris: 27:25

Sorry about that.

Grantley Martelly: 27:26

I lose track of these years. Okay 2018.

Stephen Harris: 27:31

Thank you for bringing me back to earlier days. It was 2018. Sorry about that All right you diagnosed me with cancer and prostate cancer.

Grantley Martelly: 27:46

So I mean that's still a long time 2018 to 2024. Yes, that's six years.

Stephen Harris: 27:54

Yes.

Grantley Martelly: 27:55

And so congratulations on your long journey and sticking in there At the time when you were diagnosed, when they called you in and told you that they needed to see you. Do you remember what your PSA was?

Stephen Harris: 28:09

It was around 4.8.

Grantley Martelly: 28:12

About 4.8, okay 4.8. So not extremely high, but high enough that it was outside of the safe range.

Stephen Harris: 28:21

Well, it was high enough to have cancer in my right hand and also cancer in my left hand, so I'm really suspicious of these readings.

Grantley Martelly: 28:35

Okay, so from the very beginning, it had already metastasized from that very first day. So let's talk also now about as you're dealing with this. You've been going through these long radiation treatments and you're on the medications and dealing with the side effects. However, you're still able to work and conduct your business. So how are you managing balancing the cancer treatments and the side effects as well as still staying active in your business and in your consulting, and active in your lifestyle?

Stephen Harris: 29:10

Okay, Well, I don't have any more treatments. The right answer was to treat the two medicines that I mentioned Vupro and Xtend you know I go in for the shot every three months, so that didn't take much time. You know I go in for the shot every three months, so that didn't take much time. I already have to hurry up. It's there. I just take those every day, and when I was told that when I found out what was causing it that I do.

Stephen Harris: 29:39

I didn't know what was wrong with it. I knew mentally something was wrong, so I went in for it to a neurologist, told me I had depression, anxiety, and she said I said, what do you do? You know, what are so many things that you can do? And I said well, I continue to work. I enjoy music, I play chess, I love talking with my wife, who's an absolute angel, and my blessing number one, blessing in my life number two, second to God, these are things that keep me going.

Grantley Martelly: 30:18

What do you do for activities to stay healthy?

Stephen Harris: 30:23

Well.

Grantley Martelly: 30:24

I'm really blessed.

Stephen Harris: 30:25

The only thing I do to stay healthy is walk.

Grantley Martelly: 30:29

Walk's a great exercise.

Stephen Harris: 30:31

Several times a week I walk. My doctor would point to me and some of my friends who have prostate cancer.

Grantley Martelly: 30:44

We found that we don't have to walk that long. A couple of times a week maybe 15.

Stephen Harris: 30:50

It's to keep the joints limber and get the breathing up. When I'm very fortunate, I don't have to do anything. As far as eating, I've been a good eater since I was a child, I guess Not obese overweight what's that correct? I've been a 10-eater since I was a child, I guess, not obese, overweight. What's that correct? Don't have hypertension, don't have high blood pressure. I don't have diabetes or any of those things that you definitely don't want in your basket.

Grantley Martelly: 31:25

Okay, yeah, thank you. That's good to know that you don't have some of the ethical morbidities. You mentioned your wife a couple times as you were talking about your health journey. Let's talk about her support and how important her support and your community has been in your health journey.

Stephen Harris: 31:46

Well, flynn, if it wasn't for my wife, I may be dead. I don't know. I told my wife many times she's given me life, helped me maintain it. I'll stick to it, I'm sure, for the rest of my life.

Grantley Martelly: 32:08

How long have you been married?

Stephen Harris: 32:11

We've been married for 50 years 50 years.

Grantley Martelly: 32:13

Well, that's great Congratulations.

Stephen Harris: 32:16

In a few more days. We got married at my chance before I remember that.

Grantley Martelly: 32:23

All right, that's great. Congratulations on your 50 years of marriage.

Stephen Harris: 32:29

Thank you.

Grantley Martelly: 32:30

You also mentioned that some of the side effects are depression and dehydration. How are you dealing with those? On?

Stephen Harris: 32:38

a daily basis. They go hand in hand, they're inseparable. So this is why I went to the therapist. The dehydration well, I just buckle up. Instead of drinking six, seven, eight glasses of water, I may drink 11, 12 glasses of water. A glass or two of water before I go to bed, one glass or two of water before I go to bed. The skin dehydration comes with dehydration. So I just put lotion, more lotion, on me than I've ever done. It would be one of these hope you don't mind one of these men who you know look after themselves, but whatever. So I do more long-shot.

Grantley Martelly: 33:30

So, stephan, as we think about rounding the corner here, if there's some men out there who are thinking about their life and their challenges and they're not sure what to do, they may have some questions about their health. What would your advice be to them to do, to taking control of their health and getting the answers they need so they can make the decisions they need to make to stay healthy and to maintain their longevity?

Stephen Harris: 33:59

Okay, well, number one, I'm going to strike out that word don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it, Do it. That's it. Go into your doctor for your annual physical. Get these tests, I don't know. Hopefully your insurance covers it. I hope and pray your insurance covers it.

Stephen Harris: 34:22

Go in and get digital rectal exam and the PSA test. Don't walk out of there without a digital rectal exam. No, okay, if you're at the slum, you're a doctor, I want a digital test. You want me to tell you what it is. I'll tell you what You'll find out, so don't think, do it. Okay, don't sit down here on Google or Twitter or X. Go to your doctor and get these tests. Okay, get these tests. When you get the results, I just hope and pray. Your results are always negative. You don't have prostate cancer and should you do? Just do the same thing that you did here. Not only did you go to this doctor, but you go to your urologist and you do as I did. You don't have to go to five or six places like, okay, I'm an overachiever, we're just praying you never get here, right. You're basically saying get good information.

Grantley Martelly: 35:41

It doesn't just depend on the computer and Internet, but go to reputable centers take your information, get good information

Grantley Martelly: 35:49

so you can make a good decision. Last question for you is what would be your advice for men to stay positive through this experience, even if you find out that you have prostate cancer? You and I know that your life is not over, even though at first it may seem that way, as you're trying to deal with all this information and you're trying to figure out what treatments are and there's a lot of information but what advice would you have for how to stay positive through the whole experience and to be confident that you're making good decisions so that eventually you can live long after you've done with this?

Stephen Harris: 36:32

Well, I'll say number one on the list is prep, no specific order. Make sure you continue doing the things you've been doing for all your life. You can find some other things to add in your schedule. Continue doing those things. All of these things that you have been doing give you joy and happiness and satisfaction, and they will continue giving you joy and happiness and satisfaction. And they will continue giving you joy and happiness and satisfaction. There's nothing we can do about this.

Grantley Martelly: 37:15

Like I said I have incurable cancer.

Stephen Harris: 37:19

I know that I've enjoyed my life. I enjoy my wife, my children, everyone else, and I want this to continue for another 150 years, 200 years, 300 years. And that's the best thing I can pray Continue doing anything that you have been doing at on the list and embrace what you have been doing, embrace the fact that you can continue doing what you have been doing. Embrace the fact that you can add things to your life, whatever it is, whatever, I don't know, go dancing with your wife once a week or whatever Sing songs to your wife.

Grantley Martelly: 38:13

Let her sing songs to you.

Stephen Harris: 38:17

I don't know. Let her paint your nails.

Philip Atkins: 38:21

You know, just for play not for real.

Grantley Martelly: 38:23

Yeah, whatever.

Stephen Harris: 38:26

Yeah, just to remain positive and do the things you do Do the things you do and the things you do, and yet for more things, all of these things have been a part of your life for however long. It may give you joy and happiness and satisfaction, right.

Grantley Martelly: 38:45

Yeah, so, Stephan, thank you for your time. I mean this has been a very enjoyable interview. Thank you for being honest with us and thank you for sharing your journey. We wish you the very best as you continue this journey, like you said, many more years to go.

Stephen Harris: 39:01

Thank you, I feel more than welcome, hugh. I think you may have helped me more by allowing me to share this with, hopefully, many friends and many of those.

Grantley Martelly: 39:14

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