Conquering Prostate Cancer: Men Work to Turn Fear into Action Against Disease

Part Three of Three

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

For many men, the word cancer carries an immediate weight. It can trigger fear before there is time to process the diagnosis, understand the options or ask the questions that could ultimately shape what comes next.

That fear was part of the conversation during a special event, “Conquering Prostate Cancer: A Conversation with Jay Harris, Roy S. Johnson, and Dr. Michael Bivins,” where three men brought distinctly different perspectives to a disease that continues to affect families and communities.

Harris, a four-time Emmy Award-winning ESPN SportsCenter anchor, and Johnson, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, columnist and National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame member, are both prostate cancer survivors. Bivins, president of Urology Centers of Alabama, brought the perspective of a physician who has spent more than two decades treating urological conditions and working to improve patient care and community health.

Together, the three turned what could have been a conversation about cancer into a conversation about fear, faith, family, information and action.

The discussion was a kickoff event for the Blue Shoe Ball, an awareness and fundraising gala by the Mike Slive Foundation for Prostate Cancer Research, held September 3.

For Johnson, prostate cancer was not something he expected to confront.

“I am a columnist at AL.com and also a board member of the Mike Slive Foundation. In July of ‘25, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” Johnson told the audience. “Prostate cancer was not on my bingo card,” he said.

But his diagnosis also gave him a new purpose. After choosing active surveillance as his treatment strategy, Johnson agreed to join the Mike Slive Foundation’s board with a specific goal: to use his experience to help increase awareness, particularly among men who might otherwise be discouraged or frightened from getting screened.

“I would only do it if I would be allowed to elevate the awareness of the board, to help the board expand awareness within new communities, with men who would maybe have been discouraged or frightened about getting a PSA test,” Johnson said.

That mission is at the heart of the foundation’s work. The Mike Slive Foundation was established in honor of the late Mike Slive, the longtime Southeastern Conference commissioner who died after battling prostate cancer. Its work centers on raising awareness and supporting research in the fight against the disease. The panel demonstrated why both efforts remain necessary.

Breaking Through the Fear

Bivins’ connection to prostate cancer began long before he became a urologist.

While he was in medical school, his mother told him that his grandfather had been diagnosed with the disease. The diagnosis came late, and Bivins recalled the devastating impact it had on his family.

His grandfather’s experience helped shape his professional mission.

“I think this is important to be able to educate, to be able to communicate,” Bivins said, explaining that he wants people to leave conversations like the panel with something they can use to make their communities better.

For Bivins, one of the first challenges isn’t necessarily treating prostate cancer. It is getting men through the doctor’s door. He pointed to a combination of distrust, pride, fear and outdated perceptions surrounding prostate cancer screening and treatment.

And, he said, some of those perceptions are rooted in the past.

Men may still associate prostate cancer treatment with the loss of sexual function or concerns about incontinence. But Bivins emphasized that medical technology and treatment options have evolved.

The first step, however, remains information.

“Before we can assess your risk, we need information,” Bivins said.

A PSA test does not automatically mean surgery. An elevated PSA does not automatically mean surgery. Even a biopsy does not automatically mean surgery.

There are different treatment options, and, depending on a patient’s individual circumstances, active surveillance can be one of them.

That point was particularly important for Johnson, who is currently managing his cancer through active surveillance. But understanding that decision required him to confront something that can be just as difficult as the physical diagnosis: the mental burden of cancer.

Living With the Diagnosis

Johnson described the period after his diagnosis as a mental battle. He could be at the gym or in a grocery store and suddenly be overwhelmed by the realization that he had cancer.

“I would almost break out crying while I’m trying to do a deadlift,” Johnson said.

Eventually, he learned to stop allowing the diagnosis to consume his thoughts.

His faith played a role. So did the people around him. And so did changing the way he viewed himself.

Johnson described himself as a “cancer thriver.”

The distinction matters. He acknowledged that cancer cells remain in his body, but he refuses to allow the diagnosis to dictate his life.

“I’m thriving with it,” he said.

Harris faced a different path. His cancer was aggressive enough that active surveillance was not an option. He ultimately underwent surgery.

Yet his greatest moment of fear came before he knew whether the cancer had spread.

After undergoing an MRI and later a PET scan, Harris found himself watching his health portal for the results. When the results arrived, he refused to open them. He fearedwhat they might say. Instead, he waited for the nurse to call.

When she finally did, her upbeat tone brought relief. The cancer had not spread.

“It’s localized, it’s treatable, and to this day, everything that my surgeon has told me has been correct,” Harris said.

That moment changed his perspective. So did the conversations that followed.

Men Talking to Men

One of Harris’ most meaningful experiences came during a golf trip with three close friends. At the time, he had only told his family about his diagnosis. Sitting around the dinner table, he finally told his friends. What happened next surprised him.

The conversation opened the door for each man to talk about his own health, his fears and the things he had been carrying privately. They made a pact to hold one another accountable for taking care of themselves, seeing their doctors and talking more openly about their health.

For Harris, that conversation became one of the most meaningful parts of his cancer experience. It also illustrated one of the panel’s central messages: Men cannot confront what they refuse to discuss.

That is especially important when family history is involved. Johnson learned about his own family history in adulthood. His father had died when Johnson was a child, and Johnson did not learn until later that prostate cancer was the cause of death.

Now, Johnson sees an opportunity to change what happens to the next generation.

His son, he said, does not intend to wait until middle age to begin paying attention to his prostate health.

“He wants to do it now,” Johnson said, noting the family’s history with the disease.

For Johnson, that represents something larger than screening. It represents the possibility of breaking generational patterns.

“We have the opportunity right now to break generational curses,” he said.

The Importance of Community

The panel also underscored that prostate cancer is not simply a medical issue. Access to information, access to care and the communities in which people live can influence when cancer is detected and how people respond to a diagnosis.

Bivins discussed the importance of social determinants of health and how factors such as where people live, their social networks and their access to healthcare can influence outcomes. If men live in communities where no one talks about screening, they may be less likely to get screened. And when cancer isn’t detected until symptoms appear, the disease may already be more advanced.

That is why the work of organizations such as the Mike Slive Foundation matters, the panelists said. Funding research matters. Education matters. Screening matters. And conversations matter.

The panel also featured men who have lived decades beyond their diagnoses. One audience member identified himself as a 21-year prostate cancer survivor. Another shared that he was an 18-year prostate cancer survivor.

Their presence reminded everyone that a diagnosis does not have to mark the end of a man’s story. But early detection can make a difference.

Becoming an Ambassador

Perhaps the strongest message to emerge from the conversation was not directed at men who have already been diagnosed. It was directed at everyone else.

Johnson challenged attendees to become ambassadors for prostate cancer awareness whether they had personally experienced the disease or not. He urged men not to leave the room and remain silent. Instead, he encouraged them to take what they had learned and share it with the men in their lives. That includes fathers, brothers, sons, husbands, friends and coworkers.

The goal is to make conversations about prostate health ordinary rather than uncomfortable. Because the earlier men begin talking about their health, the less power fear has over the conversation. And sometimes, the conversation itself can be lifesaving.

At its core, the pre-Blue Shoe Ball gathering was about more than prostate cancer. It was about what happens when men decide to speak. A physician speaks about the importance of information. Survivors speak about fear and recovery. Families speak about their experiences. Friends speak about accountability. And a community begins to understand that silence does not protect anyone.

The fight against prostate cancer requires more than treatment after a diagnosis. It requires awareness before one. It requires research. It requires access. It requires education. And perhaps most importantly, it requires men to stop being afraid of the conversation.

As Johnson reminded the audience, the responsibility does not end when the event is over.

“Don’t leave here and be silent,” he said.

That may be the most important prescription of all.

10 Things to Know About Prostate Cancer

1. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. men, other than non-melanoma skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 333,830 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2026.
2. About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Risk increases with age, and about six in 10 prostate cancers are diagnosed in men age 65 or older.
3. Black men face a higher risk. Black men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease compared with other men.
4. Family history matters. Having a father, brother or son who has had prostate cancer can increase a man’s risk. Tell your doctor about your family’s cancer history.
5. Most prostate cancers don’t cause symptoms early. A man can have prostate cancer and feel completely healthy, which is one reason conversations about risk and screening are important.
6. A PSA test is a blood test—not a cancer diagnosis. PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is produced by the prostate. An elevated PSA can have several causes besides cancer, including an enlarged prostate or infection.
7. Screening decisions should be made with a doctor. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men ages 55 to 69 make an individual decision about PSA screening after discussing potential benefits and harms with their doctor. Other medical organizations have different recommendations, particularly for men at increased risk.
8. Prostate cancer does not automatically mean surgery. Depending on the cancer’s risk and a man’s individual circumstances, treatment options can include active surveillance, surgery or radiation therapy.
9. Early-stage prostate cancer is often treatable. In 2022, about 70 percent of prostate cancers reported in the United States were diagnosed at the localized stage, meaning the cancer had not spread beyond the prostate.
10. Don’t ignore possible symptoms. Although many men have no symptoms, warning signs can include difficulty urinating, weak or interrupted urine flow, frequent nighttime urination, blood in the urine or semen, and persistent pain in the back, hips or pelvis. These symptoms can also have causes other than cancer, so men should talk with their doctor.

Sources: American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Learn more about the Mike Slive Foundation at mikeslivefoundation.org.