When you get out of bed in the morning, no one hands you a script for how your day will go. Most days, you can expect the day will proceed as planned, and it’s reasonable to believe you can meet surprise changes in routine without being thrown off balance.

Sometimes, however, the surprise is unpleasant. An unexpected cancer diagnosis is likely to jar you. Trying to absorb the news is challenging because it temporarily pulls the rug out from under your ability to adapt. This is as true for prostate cancer (PCa) as it is for any potentially dangerous disease.

The importance of support

Thankfully, we humans have a trait called resilience. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary expands the richness of this word in its scientific application:

In physics, resilience is the ability of an elastic material (such as rubber or animal tissue) to absorb energy (such as from a blow) and release that energy as it springs back to its original shape. The recovery that occurs in this phenomenon can be viewed as analogous to a person’s ability to bounce back after a jarring setback.

Now, I don’t know how many of us could quickly bounce back after hearing, “You’ve got prostate cancer.” However, I like the idea of absorbing and releasing in order to regain one’s footing and proceed with next steps. This is where the importance of support comes in.

3 ways to get support

When we receive bad personal news, we instinctively turn to those we most love and trust. This is our first and most valuable source of support. It lifts our spirit to hear words like:

• I care.
• I’m here with you.
• You can lean on me.
• How can I help?

These words cushion the blow, fortifying us to move in and through whatever journey that lies ahead.

The second source of support is others who are or have been going through the same thing. These are our peers, and you’ve no doubt heard the expression “peer support.” Peer support programs—whether in person, or through technology like online meetups and virtual online support programs—offer identification and hope. Your personal feelings about your situation are validated, you can ask others what treatment they chose, what it was like to go through it, and what they did to cope. This provides enormous reassurance and the promise of brighter days ahead. If they got through it, so can you.

The third source of support is factual information. Knowledge is power. Take time to make a list of your questions, and of course your loved ones and your peers can help you formulate them. If you’re not sure where to start, check out this blog. Never be afraid to ask, because there’s no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to PCa. In general, your own medical team should provide honest education about your situation: what your test reports mean, what treatments are a best match for your PCa and why, what are the risks, etc. The answers may or may not be what you want to hear, but your best treatment plan is the one founded upon the truth.

One more thought about information. Patients are increasingly turning to Artificial Intelligence in the form of “chatbots”. Type a question into your preferred search engine and within seconds, answers appear. They are generally sourced from reputable authorities, but they are not a substitute for your professional care team. fact, I recently posted a blog about my own experience asking ChatGPT if it could give me medical information. Click here if you want to know what it told me.

You may have heard it said that PCa is a “kinder” cancer than others because it is often found early when treatment has a very high chance of eliminating cancer for the rest of a patient’s life. Also, in roughly 85% of cases, the malignancy is likely to be slow-growing. However, if left unmonitored and untreated, it can spread and become incurable. In my opinion, no cancer is so kind that we can do without support. At our Sperling Prostate Center, we embrace principles of compassion and correct knowledge. We are no substitute for your family and friends, but we sincerely offer our support:

• We care.
• We’re here with you.
• You can lean on us.
• How can we help?

If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, receiving support is just as valuable as receiving excellent clinical care. If there’s any way we can be of support and service, please contact us.

NOTE: This content is solely for purposes of information and does not substitute for diagnostic or medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing pelvic pain, or have any other health concerns or questions of a personal medical nature.