Darren Ritch

At just 41 years old, Darren Ritch got the scare of his life when his biopsy came back positive for prostate cancer.  Upon hearing the unsettling revelation from his doctor and being presented with medical options, Darren sat with his doctor feeling numb.  He was trying to absorb it all.

"It was a total shock to hear I had prostate cancer,” recalls Darren.  "I had so many emotions that went through me that day.  I remember just sitting there thinking to myself 'this can't be happening'."

Before the discovery of his cancer, Darren considered himself to be a normal healthy male.  At his age and having no family history of the disease, there was no reason in his mind to think prostate cancer was a likely possibility.  But as often the case in life, "the unthinkable" indeed became a reality.

As the statistics show, Darren's reality is not unlike the other more than 192,000 men across America who will also be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.  For these men, discussing health issues that may affect sexual performance and include incontinence, it's a taboo and unwelcomed conversation.  Realizing this, Darren began blogging about his personal experience with prostate cancer so others in the same situation would not have to feel alone. Through his blog, which he updates weekly, Darren found a way to express and deal with his thoughts and feelings.  It became a nurturing experience for both the writer and his readers.

"Writing [the blog] has helped me tremendously with the healing process," commented Darren. "A lot of men tend to hold things in and not talk about male health issues.  Hopefully by writing about it and sharing my story, we can save some lives."

In Darren's blog he writes about the importance of early detection and credits a proactive health program as the reason his prostate cancer was caught early.  The American Cancer Society recommends that both the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and DRE (digital rectal exam) should be offered annually, beginning at age 50, to men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy.

Men at high risk, such as African American men and men with a strong family history of one or more first-degree relatives diagnosed at an early age, should begin testing at age 45.  In short, all men over the age of forty should begin talking to their doctor about developing a prostate care plan that is right for them.  Men should also learn more about lifestyle changes – exercise and nutrition – that can help protect themselves against cancer.

Having the digital rectal exam was the initial indicator that alerted Darren's physician of a possible issue with his prostate.  While conducting the exam, his doctor felt irregular nodules on his prostate.  Although the DRE may have been uncomfortable for a few moments, Darren believes it saved his life.

"My PSA tests came back normal, so if it wasn't for the DRE we would have never known," said Darren.  “I am now an advocate for the DRE--it was 10 seconds that saved my life. Without it my prostate cancer may have gone undiagnosed until it was too late."

Four months later, Darren is now doing well following a robotic prostatectomy (a procedure he discusses in detail on his blog). Since the surgery Darren has made many healthy lifestyle changes including making better eating choices and exercising more.  Darren has also made raising awareness for prostate cancer a main focus of his.

"I am living proof that prostate cancer is not just an older man's disease.  I want to help get the word out on prostate cancer so that more men are informed and become proactive in caring for their prostates," says Darren. "Guys shouldn't have to feel like prostate cancer needs to be dealt with alone. It would be great to see more stories from men and hear their perspectives.  It was extremely valuable for me.  Personally, talking to others helped me more on an emotional level than reading generic information on prostate cancer online or in publications."

Life is short and time is fleeting as the saying carpe diem reminds us all. Having prostate cancer has given Darren a heightened appreciation for that viewpoint.  Already known by his friends as a loving family man, Darren now places an added significance to spending time with his family. 

"Life is precious and my family has been so supportive.  Kissing my wife Peggy, or spending time with my son mean so much more now," says Darren. "You sometimes take for granted the every day experiences in life, but after having cancer you look at things differently."

Currently, Darren Ritch lives with his loving wife of 17 years, Peggy and son in Ocala, Florida.  This past September Darren and Peggy volunteered at the Athletes for a Cure Triathlon, helping set up a booth to raise money for prostate cancer research.  If you would like to read more about Darren's experience with prostate cancer visit his blog at http://darrenritch.blogspot.com/