My name is Matt Davis. I'm 66 years young. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last December, stage II, Gleason seven. I'm a retired Air Force veteran. I'm currently an IFBB professional bodybuilder in the Masters division. I'm a Special Olympics volunteer, and I also volunteer for VITAS and hospice. I'm a proud father of two wonderful grown sons, and I have a loving wife of over thirty-some years. Last year, I got, we had our first grandchild, my grandson, Avery. I was diagnosed, my PSA was 4.5, so my primary physician was concerned. He says, "Well, you know what? We need to refer you to a urologist to make sure that everything is good." So I went to a urologist and explained to him that I was competing in competitions last year, bodybuilding competitions, which raise your PSA level. The urologist says, "Okay, we'll observe you for like a month or two and we'll see. We'll take it from there." A month or two passed, and then the PSA went up to a 5.6.

So at that point in time, we had a discussion and urologist says, "Well, we need to do a biopsy to determine if you have tumors, if you have cancer or not." I was hesitant about it. Did some research, of course, and after doing that research, I said, "Well, you know what? If it's climbing like that, that's what you have with your team of doctors and everyone trying to give you some advice. Listen to them." So I took their advice and got the prostate biopsy in November. Had to wait a couple of weeks for the results of the biopsy, which is the most trying time because it's a very stressful period, wondering, "Do I have cancer or not?" Especially being an athlete all my life, eating healthy, doing everything right, cancer doesn't care. So went into the doctor's office with my wife, and we were just sitting there and he gave me the diagnosis. "Yeah, man, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you do have cancer."

The first thing I said to myself, well, I slumped over, I says, "You know what?" I didn't go into the, "Why me," the pity trip or anything like that. I says, "You know, I'm grateful." The doctor says, "You're grateful?" I said, "Yeah, I'm grateful that you caught it in the early stages." At that point, we pursued, had the decision as to which route I wanted to go, whether it was going to be surgery, removal, or radiation. So at that point, I did decide to go with the radiation treatment. So it was nine weeks of radiation, IMRT, Monday through Friday, and it was about a one-and-a-half session, one minute and a half session. Yes, of course, the first session was very trying because you know what was going to happen, but you knew that what was your other options? I actually trained and still continued to work out in the gym doing bodybuilding. Right after my sessions, I even came in there with my gym clothes on, and I think the most important thing was the mental.

I says, "You've got to be physically active." I said, "I've always been physically active. Now, you got to turn the mental thing on to another notch because you can get defeated with something like this when you hear any kind of disease." I think what helped me the most with deciding to do the radiation treatments is that my neurologist made it very clear as to what kind of side effects I would have. I weighed those side effects because the point was I said, "Well, I'm coming into you healthy, in my mind, in every way, sexually, physically et cetera." He says, "Well..." I said, "Well, how will that affect me after these radiation treatments?" He said, "If you're sexually active and you've been physically active and everything, after the treatments, there'll be a recovery period and you'll be back to yourself." I took his word for that, and I knew that I could definitely do everything as far as changing any kind of eating lifestyle, continuing to be active also. So I says, "Well, I'm willing to take the chance with the radiation over the surgery," which I'm glad I did.

Like I said, when I went in there to begin the treatments and my PSA was 5.6, that was back, we did it in February and March. June, when I had my first PSA, it dropped down to a 1.5, which is in the normal range for my age. So my doctor had told me, because I was like, "Well, can I eat certain foods? Can I drink?" "You can live. You just need to make better choices and make wiser choices as cutting out certain meats and so forth." So I'm not eating beef or I don't eat pork. I haven't been doing that. So it's lean chicken and fish, which I love. My strength levels, everything is back to normal. During the radiation treatments, yeah, the side effect I experienced the most it's like a little urination problem, not urinating as normal. It's been six months. I'm urinating just like I always have been. I'm a very positive person, very motivated, and I eat right, I do things right, and I always wanted to set the example for myself and for my children.

So I didn't hide anything from them. When I had any kind of symptoms, they were aware of it. They were very supportive. I wanted to also share that experience because it's like a stigma for especially Black men. There's nothing wrong with going to get your annual physicals. You want to get your PSA checked. I felt fine. I was actually on stage competing, and I actually had a high PSA. So we need to put our egos aside. I want to be around for the long run. I want to be there raising my grandchildren and just having a great time with life. So I always try, I'm an advocate, I'm speaking out on it, and people were in shock, and some people did reach to me on the side like, "Wow, Matt, if you've been through this..." Be educated. Make yourself educated choices. If your PSA is high and you feel like, "Well, I'll just wait it out." okay, but at least be knowledgeable that it is high. You will not know. There was no pains, no aches or nothing.

So that's why I keep saying to myself, "I'm grateful and I want to share that experience that there's nothing to be ashamed about getting your physical exams and being very educated about this lab work that they are doing for you. You want to know what these levels mean to you and what can you do if necessary to change your diet so maybe the PSA will drop. But I did look for second opinions also, not only with that urologist. I did go out and seek other opinions and stay away from Google because Google is not the answer to everything, everybody. So it worked out. Oh, my goodness. Our family was just... They were just always there and always are checking on dad or my friends checking on me also. But they just knew that my mindset, they says, "Well, if anyone can beat this or try to beat this, it's me." I just want to say that mindset is everything. I tackled this issue the way I tackled most things in my life with a famous quote that goes, "Achievement lies within the reach of those who reach beyond themselves."

So if I want to battle this and win, I'm going to put my best foot forward. At least say, "I did this myself. I have to live with myself with this." My family said, "Well, he's fighting." That's what you just have to be. Well, the fact that it can happen to an athlete, a natural athlete, not doing drugs, not doing anything that was abnormal, it can happen to anyone. So it's not really that much brought up in the Black community. There is an organization called TheRespond.org that does reach out to Black men who have prostate cancer. So they can donate their samples of their cancer tumor pieces to their organization to try to figure out why is it happening so much more? Why is it so much more pronounced in the Black community than the white community? It's not just all about race either way, all. All men should get themselves checked out for this issue, period. Not only this issue, but just your physical health. Do you get your annual physical exams? So I did do last, the month of September as part of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, 108 miles walk.

I was really enjoying that because I got a lot of people coming up to me on the internet reaching out, "Wow, you're all this active. How could this be? Give me any tips about eating or dieting." I says, "Just move. Be active. Keep your mind active, meditate, whatever it is that's going to keep you fighting this." I love it when people ask me about my journey, because I want to let them know that you can live your best life, even though you may have been going through the battle or you have went into remission, there still is an ongoing battle because right now, I still have to do every six months a checkup, a PSA check, but I'm not concerned about that because right now, it's like this cancer made me understand that every day is not given to us. Instead of planning things way out in the future for trips and all like that, and spending time with loved ones or calling loved ones, the time to do that is now.

Yeah. The last thing I'd like to basically say is take your health seriously. That just basically means get your physical exam. It isn't just about prostate cancer. Men, women alike, keep on top of your health. You never know. Just do the best you can. Keep on top of your health and keep moving, even if it means walking around the corner. You don't have to join the gym. You don't have to be a bodybuilder, but you better be moving if at all possible.