On Monday, May 12, 2024, jazz saxophonist David Sanborn passed away after a long struggle with prostate cancer. He is only the most recent in a long list of celebrated men who have struggled with that disease, a list that includes Robert Di Nero, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joe Torre, Nelson Mandela, Frank Zappa, Colin Powell, Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s son Dexter, just to name a few.
A list of the not-so-celebrated includes over 1.4 million men worldwide afflicted by the disease in 2020. One of them was me.
I took time away from this blog to write a book about my experience. While I am on the hunt for a literary agent, my thanks to @CNNOpinion for publishing a recent article of mine on the topic. If you have a prostate or love someone who has one, check out the article and talk to your doctor about a PSA test.
Why bother? Prostate cancer is the best kind to have, isn’t it?
Better than some, maybe, but here are a few zingers in case you don’t make it to the CNN piece: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. One in eight will be diagnosed with it. One in 44 will die from it.
In a tone that I think is meant to be reassuring, Doctors tell me I will “probably die of something else.” If I hadn’t had a PSA test when I did (WAY too late in life), I would likely have been the one in 44 who didn’t make it.
Here’s the CNN link again: https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/16/opinions/prostate-cancer-warning-signs-manning
LivingEd 
You’ve been so on my mind and glad to hear all is reasonably well and you had good reason to have gone quiet. I spot Reggie’s daily heart on the caring bridge, I try to respond to everyone of them too. Glad you’re not one of the 44 this year. I so love your writing, Ed. Please try to keep it coming.
Thank you for the kind words. I have a few more pieces in the queue. In the interim, nudge those you know with prostates (45+) toward a PSA screening. It beats surgery every time.
😎👌
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Thank ya, sir
Hi Ed,
Nice to see your blog active again! Your CNN essay is fantastic. And I’m beyond glad to hear that the prostate cancer is under control. It’s really good to hear from you. I’m here in the car with your son on our way back to New York after celebrating Michael’s college graduation in Rhode Island. He says hi. We re-introduced him to oysters in the half shell and he thought they were amazing! He also thinks I should share with you the comment I made, upon reading your CNN piece, that my favorite parts of your work always involve Reggie. Please give her a warm hug for me! Elijah told us about his new job — she must be so proud!
Be well,
Donna
Thank you for reading and for the kind words.