Gogs Gagnon followed an early passion for computers by becoming a programmer and an independent technology consultant. He has developed software for Apple, IBM and the government of British Columbia, where he was the lead programmer analyst and data architect. Now retired, Gogs is a cancer survivor, author and patient advocate who is passionate about sharing his experience and lessons learned. His book, “Prostate Cancer Strikes: Navigating the Storm,” is available on Amazon and distributed free across Canada to everyone newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

You can connect with Gogs on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram at @gogsgagnon and subscribe to his YouTube Channel and website blog at 

Gogs Gagnon

I cannot emphasize enough that there is nothing good about cancer. Nobody wants to face a cancer diagnosis of any kind. There are no “good cancers.” All cancers can inflict painful and permanent damage on the body and mind.

Even if treatment is successful, there is no returning to “normal” as emotional and physical impacts remain for life. In addition, all cancers can be deadly as they can resurface years or even decades later. 

Therefore, it’s critical not to take our health for granted, especially as we age. People should not be embarrassed to discuss any health concerns with their doctor. Even more importantly, unusual symptoms should not be brushed off. 

I know many men with terminal cancer who wish they had seen a doctor years earlier. Some of them ignored their symptoms, hoping things would improve on their own. Ideally, it’s better to know about health issues before they become serious.

Even though it’s true that early cancer detection doesn’t guarantee survival, it’s far better to detect sooner than later. In the case of prostate cancer, symptoms usually do not occur until the later stages. Therefore, cancer may have already spread outside the prostate by the time symptoms develop.

In my case, I had no notable symptoms, even though cancer was already in the final stage before breaching the prostate. Had I not bothered with regular checkups, I potentially wouldn’t have known I had cancer until it was too late.

My regular checkups included the digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. I’ve had several DREs over the years by different doctors, and they all reported that other than an enlarged prostate, which is typical as men age, it felt normal.

It was my rising PSA that was a concern. Without regular PSA testing, I wouldn’t have known it was rising. I’m grateful my doctor recommended monitoring my PSA despite my

After a negative prostate biopsy, my doctor ordered an MRI that revealed a significant anomaly outside the reach of the DRE. Another biopsy, this time targeting the abnormality, was positive.

I was healthy, fit, and had no symptoms, even though cancer was close to breaching the prostate. Regular checkups, including the PSA test, saved me from a potentially terminal diagnosis.

The goal is to detect cancer early before it spreads and becomes terminal. Until there is a cure for all stages, early detection is our best hope for a successful treatment.

For prostate cancer, early detection offers the most options, including active surveillance, a process that involves monitoring cancer regularly through testing and imaging to detect any progression. Treatment can be delayed or indefinitely withheld if there are no signs of cancer advancement.

That’s precisely the benefit and power of early cancer detection — to give you the most options to consider and ensure cancer doesn’t advance undetected.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

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Even though I had no symptoms, my prostate cancer was caught thanks to frequent follow-ups with my doctor. 

I’m Thankful for Early Cancer Detection

I have many fond memories of my childhood. One of my favorites is playing street hockey. Every kid in the neighborhood, even from several blocks away, would join in on the fun. We would play morning to late at night on most weekends and days off school, only taking an occasional break to use the washroom or to find something to eat. And we didn't always go to our own homes during rest periods. Usually, the closest door welcomed us in with open arms, where we were free to raid the fridge and use the facilities.

My older sister, Joanne, was my biggest supporter. She was always looking out for her little brother and making sure I was safe. Sometimes, street hockey got a little rough, and fights would break out. Even though most of us were still in elementary school, we took the game very seriously – we played to win. Joanne watched from the sidelines, cheering me on and ensuring everyone played fair. I'll never forget how proud she was whenever I scored a goal. She would raise her arms and scream "Goal!" at the top of her lungs while jumping up and down.

Those memories are priceless and provide me with a great deal of comfort. All I need to do is recall these events to cheer me up whenever I feel down. Joanne is the No. 1 reason why I have so many fond memories of childhood. She was always there for me. I was so proud to be her little brother and told everyone that she was my best friend and protector.

Over the years, we continued to make many fond memories. And our love for each other grew. We were inseparable and talked daily, sharing everything from the news to deeply personal issues, both physical and emotional. There was nothing we couldn't discuss openly and honestly with each other. That is until something happened that changed my life forever. Joanne died from ovarian cancer at 56, and I was utterly devastated and have never been the same emotionally.

About a year or so before her terminal diagnosis, I noticed Joanne was gaining weight. I found it a bit odd as she was always in good shape with a flat stomach. But one day, while visiting, I spotted a small spare tire in her midsection. I knew she wasn't pregnant, as she would have already told me. I assumed she was gaining weight as we both enjoyed eating desserts. Joanne loved to bake, and she would often invite me over to enjoy her latest mouth-watering masterpiece.

Therefore, it didn't seem unreasonable that all those extra calories were packing on some extra pounds. When I questioned the bulge, Joanne laughed it off and blamed her baking. On reflection, I had a bad feeling that day, and I regret not being more forward in my questioning. But I let it go and continued to enjoy her company and spectacular desserts.

Over the next few months, her abdomen continued to expand, and she frequently visited the washroom. I knew something was seriously wrong when she no longer joined me in snacking on her baked goods. Her appetite was disappearing, but yet it seemed that she was still gaining weight. This time, I couldn't let it go. And I wasn't going to leave until I convinced her to see a doctor. Joanne tended to put the needs of others over her own and believed she would be wasting the doctor's time.

It wasn't easy, but she finally agreed. However, it was too late. Joanne was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer that had already spread throughout her body. It was devastating to hear the news.

Over the next several months, Joanne endured multiple surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy. I was with her every step of the way, cheering from the sidelines as she did for me. But all of her treatments failed and took a significant toll on her body, leaving her physically and emotionally drained. She ended up in hospice, and it was so hard to say goodbye during her final moment. But I'm grateful I was able to be by her side when she needed me most. Even though I find comfort in the memories, I can't help but think that she could still be with me if I had recognized her symptoms earlier.

A prostate cancer survivor explains his regret over not pushing his sister to visit the doctor as soon as she showed concerning symptoms, which were eventually revealed to be the stage 4 ovarian cancer that took her life.

I Regret Not Recognizing My Sister's Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Sooner

Getting a cancer diagnosis is devastating, and as a result, I made several mistakes and oversights. I only thought about the physical impacts without considering my emotional and mental health. Even my health care team never alerted me of the non-physical impacts of a cancer diagnosis. The focus was purely on cancer and dealing with the physical side effects of treatment. I have since learned that it's critical to treat the whole person and not just the disease.

Although my health care team indeed failed me in this area, they are not entirely at fault. On serious reflection, I realize that part of the problem is that men tend not to admit they need help. In my experience growing up in a male environment, you were discouraged from talking about your feelings. Men were supposed to be tough, in control, and handle any problem single-handed. In school, if you showed any sign of weakness, you were a target for abuse.

Growing up under these conditions taught me to pretend to be tough, not ask for help and solve my problems without assistance. In the case of my cancer diagnosis, playing the tough guy worked against me. Therefore, even if my health care team offered me emotional support, I most likely would have refused. It took me a long time to realize the lessons learned in childhood influenced the way I handled my cancer diagnosis.

But I do have an ace up my sleeve. I'm blessed to have a very caring, loving and supportive wife. She recognized it was difficult for me to deal with my cancer diagnosis. And talking about it was out of the question. Instead, she would often sit by my side, holding my hand with her head on my shoulder. And rather than asking me questions, she was there to listen to anything I had to say without judgement or trying to fix anything.

It didn't take long for me to completely trust her, which helped me speak more freely and openly. And I found that sharing is incredibly therapeutic and has become one of my primary coping mechanisms. Since that moment, I realized that my emotional and mental health would need ongoing support. And it became clear that I needed to continue talking and find even more ways to help cope with my cancer diagnosis. For me, joining a support group was the answer.

That said, everyone will react differently to a cancer diagnosis. And there is certainly no right or wrong way to cope. But it is critical not to neglect your emotional and mental health. It's difficult to admit, but I'm not tough, and I don't know how to fix everything. And asking for help is still a significant struggle. I hope men of the future are more open and not burdened with these issues. If it weren't for the love and support of my wife, I'd still be hiding behind the “tough guy” persona, pretending everything was okay. Please don't overlook your emotional and mental health needs. Tough guys suffer in silence, and it's essential to find ways to cope.

Men are often discouraged by society from openly sharing their emotions. A cancer survivor explains why lessons from childhood around how men should behave prevented him from finding support for his mental health.

I Pretended to Be Tough After Learning of my Cancer Diagnosis

I was 57 years old when my doctor delivered the devastating news confirming my prostate cancer diagnosis. It caught me totally off guard as I was healthy, fit and wasn't experiencing any health issues or symptoms of any kind. I had no problems in the bedroom, and I slept throughout the night. It didn't seem possible to have cancer without any pain, lumps or signs. But it was true whether I wanted to believe it or not.

If it weren't for regular PSA testing, I wouldn't have known my PSA was rising. And since my PSA continued to climb over the years without explanation, my doctor ordered more tests, including an MRI, a prostate biopsy, a bone and CT scan. It turned out that cancer was already in the final stage before breaching the prostate, and I had no symptoms. Without testing, cancer was free to grow undetected and most likely would have spread before I developed symptoms. I'm currently four years NED after prostate cancer treatment.

Since my diagnosis, I have met many men with stage 4 prostate cancer who had never heard of PSA testing until after their terminal diagnosis. They all wonder whether if they had regular PSA testing 10 years earlier, they might have been able to stop cancer from spreading. It's never a good time to be diagnosed with cancer, but catching it earlier provides more treatment options and a better chance of survival.

Now that my cancer diagnosis and treatment are behind me, I've had time to reflect. At first diagnosis, I didn't think I had any symptoms. Or at least nothing significant or notable. I now believe the signs were there, but I didn't recognize or take notice of them. Two symptoms in particular include a weak stream and less frequent erections. The changes didn't happen overnight but rather occurred slowly over several years. Therefore, I assumed it was part of the natural aging process.

Since I'm not a doctor, I shouldn't have made any assumptions about my health. I seem to have always found an excuse to justify my symptoms. I even believed that I was bladder shy, and that was the reason for a slow stream. And I blamed the less frequent erections on being married too long and that we were losing our magic.

It's always best to seek the advice of medical professionals rather than making these types of assumptions. If I had the opportunity to go back, I definitely would have seen a doctor much earlier to discuss my weak flow and erections. And please don't be embarrassed or wait for things to get better before seeking help. I know many men who haven't seen a doctor in over 20 years. And some of them admitted that they ignored their pain and symptoms for years before gathering the courage to see a doctor. It's much better to treat issues sooner than later.

As we age, it's critical to become intimately familiar with our bodies and not to ignore anything unusual, no matter how small. Health is not something we should ever take for granted. Even if you are healthy, without any symptoms, it's best to see a doctor for annual checkups. I once read somewhere that the leading cause of death in men is not going to the doctor.­

A man reflects on slight symptoms he was not concerned about leading up to his prostate cancer diagnosis.

Gogs Gagnon

I’m Thankful for Early Cancer Detection

I Regret Not Recognizing My Sister's Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Sooner

I Pretended to Be Tough After Learning of my Cancer Diagnosis

I Had No Prostate Cancer Symptoms, or so I Thought

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