Caring Takes Courage: Inside the Lives of Families Facing Prostate Cancer

Mark White | The Mark White Show

Every day across America, millions quietly live out one of the hardest and most selfless acts of love there is, caregiving.

More than three million men in the United States are currently living with prostate cancer, and behind so many of them stands a spouse, child, friend, or sibling providing strength and support through every appointment, treatment, and sleepless night.

A new national survey involving more than 500 caregivers and patients shines a light on just how vital these caregivers are. According to the findings, 85% of caregivers accompany their loved one to appointments, and they are four times more likely than patients themselves to recognize side effects of treatment.

Joining me on The Mark White Show to talk about the results, and the people behind them, were Dr. Daniel George, medical oncologist and professor at Duke University School of Medicine, and Gina Carithers, president of the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF).

“It’s a journey that takes resilience”

Dr. George has spent more than 25 years treating prostate cancer patients and said his inspiration came early in his medical career through mentors who showed him the power of compassion.

“Life isn’t easy,” he told me. “And most of these patients diagnosed with prostate cancer are older and can lean on some of those experiences to help them deal with the changes they’re going to experience.”

He spoke about the importance of resilience, not only individually but together as families. “There’s individual resilience and then there’s interpersonal resilience,” he explained. “It’s so important to recognize that we really need both in this journey.”

He also described the emotional and physical effects of treatment. “Some therapies can change people, physically and psychologically. It’s so important for patients and families to realize that those changes are the treatment, not the person. Having people around you who understand that makes all the difference.”

The caregiver’s unseen weight

For Gina Carithers, leading the Prostate Cancer Foundation means witnessing firsthand the depth of dedication and the toll that caregiving can take.

“It’s really important that we stress to caregivers that they need to take care of themselves,” she said. “Good nutrition, exercise, and sleep really matter. We encourage families to have support outside their closest circle too, someone who can listen or give them a break.”

She said PCF offers webinars and resources for both patients and caregivers, covering everything from nutrition and exercise to emotional health. “We find that providing tools and resources for activities they can do together is extremely helpful,” she added.

New hope in the fight against prostate cancer

Despite the challenges, Dr. George says there has never been a more hopeful time in his 25 years of research and practice.

“In the last ten years, we’ve more than doubled the survival of patients with advanced prostate cancer,” he said. “Some of these men are in long term remissions. Who knows how long they could live with this disease under control?”

He explained that targeted therapies, new immune system treatments, and advances in genetic testing are all changing what’s possible. “There’s a lot of real hope that this is a disease people don’t have to die from,” he said.

Supporting the ones who give everything

As we closed the conversation, I asked Gina what message she wanted to leave for caregivers.

“I’d like to tell caregivers to take care of themselves through this journey,” she said. “It’s a long road, and it’s so important they maintain their health and well-being so they can be the best support possible. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is here for them, with resources, information, and community.”

For more information, visit PCF.org.