[re_pete_5]

The Prostate Cancer Pony Express is a 6 month 25,000 mile relay ride for prostate cancer. Most all the information about the ride is here:

Forum

Please ride a leg of the ride when it comes to your state. The ride started in Daytona on March 17. Many riders have participated so far and we have currently finished the first of four coast to coast trips across America. We are going to every state capital and taking a letter to each governor about prostate cancer. The ride ends in Washington DC on September 9 during National Prostate Cancer Awareness month. We ride for a lot of causes ... it's about time we rode for prostate cancer!

The message is that early detection is the key to a cure. Almost 34000 men died last year and it doesn't have to be that way. I was diagnosed at age 49 with my first psa of 58. I clearly should have been tested earlier and if my cancer was detected earlier I would be in a better place with the disease right now.

So, please ride with us if you can. We are currently in the process of crossing the country a second time. And I'm very proud that as a V-Strom rider ... 12 of 15 legs on this part of the ride have V-Stroms! We particularly need riders west of Jefferson City, MO for the third crosing of the US. if you know riders in that part of the country please help us spread the word.

Let me know if I can answer any questions. Thanks everyone!!!

 

[PTRider]

It was about ten years ago that Dr. Hackenslash cut out my cancerous prostate gland. Undetectable PSA readings since then.

I'd had annual PSA blood tests plus the DRE...digital rectal exam. My prostate was always on the large side of the allowable range and maybe somewhat hard, but nothing to take action about until the PSA reading showed a jump one year. The reading wasn't high, but the jump from the previous reading was suspicious. The urologist did an ultrasound, saw suspicious spots, biopsied those spots, and found cancer. My cancer level was Gleason 7 (3+4) which was just at the beginning of the aggressive stage.

Prostate cancer is slow growing, so surgery was scheduled for a couple of months away when it fit into everyone's schedule. Dr. Ellis and the whole crew at the University of Washington med center did a fine job, except for the kitchen which forgot to feed me. At that time there wasn't a good decision matrix to decide between surgery or radiation, but surgery seemed to have the least onerous side effects. Chemotherapy wasn't give due to the nature of prostate cancer.

Anyway, ten years later, no cancer growing (although it still might be circulating in my body so I still get annual PSA tests) and no problems.

I'm not sure about a ride. I'd go on the Olympia to Seattle leg, but is riding in a pack of pirates with noisy pipes a good way to send a message? I need to know more.

 

[Jarlaxle28]

I would like to know exactly what this letter to the governors entails. I work in medicine and did a rotation in oncology at a cancer treatment center. While there, I did a research project and presentation on treatments and screening for prostate cancer (PC), so it is a subject I am very knowledgeable about.
There are very specific guidelines about early PC screening, and they exist for a reason. I would be more than happy to support PC research, but I too need more details. Indiscriminate use of early PC screening has been shown to cause more harm than good. That is why professional medical guidelines are used and carefully followed.
No matter what is contained in this letter to the governors, it will not affect or change medical practise guidelines that are backed by years of studies and outcomes.

 

[re_pete_5]

Thanks guys ... I too share the concerns expressed about overtreatment and the side-effects of treatment. And I am aware of the recent recommendations to discontinue psa testing, but I happen to disagree with them.

It just seems to me that it's healthy to have men talk about prostate cancer and educate themselves about the disease. That's the purpose of the ride. Right now the psa test is all we have. Hopefully in the future we will have a better test to determine whether a person has prostate cancer or not. And if a person has prostate cancer to determine the characteristics of the cancer, whether treatment is necessary and if so ... what kind of treatment.

Apparently there are many types of prostate cancer and some are more agressive than others. So it seems prudent to me to go ahead and have a psa test and determine a baseline. Early prostate cancer has no symptoms and clearly if it is discovered too late there is no hope for a cure. My first psa was at age 49 and my psa was 58. If I had been tested at age 40, the chances are good that I could have been cured with surgery and not be going through all the side affects and expenses associated with secondary treatments.

If men do not have a psa test then they are vulnerable to discovering that they have late stage metastatic prostate cancer with no chance for a cure.

Almost 34000 men died from prostate cancer last year. I am suggesting that number is too large and the number could be reduced with education and informed testing. The letter we are carrying to the governors in each state expresses that opinion.

Our numbers have thus far been small. But I believe that the ride has made a difference and I hope that men affected by prostate cancer will speak out and tell their stories so others can benefit. If we don't do it who else will?

I welcome eveyone's comments and hope that some of you will join me on the ride. Thanks for listening ...

Dick

 

[Jarlaxle28]

There is actually a new urine test for prostate cancer that detects a specific protein EN-2 (engrailed-2) that is released by prostate cancer cells. It is still being studied, but early results are promising. This test may be more specific and sensitive than the PSA, but more long-term data is needed before this can be confirmed.

 

[rabbibgr]

I live in Gastonia NC. How can I help

 

[re_pete_5]

I live in Gastonia NC. How can I help

On May 22 we will be riding to Winston-Salem from the Charlotte area. Hope you can join us! Information is here Forum or just contact me. I'll be riding on that leg too. And we need help in spreading the word so please let others know. We still need riders west of Jefferson City, MO. Places like Des Moines, IA Lincoln, NE Cheyenne, WY Boise, ID and Salem, OR are our most immediate needs for riders. Having a rider in Bozeman, MT would be great too!

And don't forget that on September 9 we finish up the ride in Washington DC ... hope everyone can join us for that. We are carrying a journal with the names of prostate cancer survivors. You can add your name online at the link on the forum.

Right now the ride is in Denver, CO and headed eastward. Your can check the progress of the ride in real time by going to the forum and clicking on the link to follow the riders.

Let me know if I can help,

re_pete_5

 

[re_pete_5]

There is actually a new urine test for prostate cancer that detects a specific protein EN-2 (engrailed-2) that is released by prostate cancer cells. It is still being studied, but early results are promising. This test may be more specific and sensitive than the PSA, but more long-term data is needed before this can be confirmed.

Thanks for the good news about the urine test for prostate cancer. A better test is absolutely one of the biggest needs. A cure would also be nice ... so I'm hoping for that too!

 

[ShadowNWPA]

Why is nobody more interested in finding the causes of this or any of the other cancers that seem to attract big attention from well meaning folks?

Instead we go through hell trying to raise money for the non-profit organizations so they can help big pharma come up with more ways to find the problem and more chemicals to "treat" the problem.

I'm not trying to discount your efforts in the least, as I have a grandfather that died of prostate cancer, and I've had leukemia twice... I know your motivations... but I hope you will consider the above question.

It just seems prevention would make a world more sense than starting the fight against these things with detection... just like fighting unwanted pregnancies with pregnancy tests.

 

[re_pete_5]

Thanks for your good comments ... I definitely agree that it's important to focus on prevention and the causes. And that is a part of the message of the ride. IMHO if everyone lived a more healthy lifestyle there would be less cancer.

"Determining what causes cancer is complex. Many things are known to increase the risk of cancer, including tobacco use, certain infections, radiation, lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity, and environmental pollutants.[1] These can directly damage genes or combine with existing genetic faults within cells to cause the disease.[2] Approximately five to ten percent of cancers are entirely hereditary." (Wikipedia ...)

The focus of this ride is on prostate cancer awareness ... awareness of the factors mentioned above that put you at greater risk. And early detection ... And a better test for cancer to determine those who need to be treated aggressively and those who do not need treatment.

Approximately 34000 men die each year from prostate cancer and I would like to see this number reduced. My first psa was a high number, 58 and it was certain there was cancer there. I'm just saying that if I had been tested earlier ... I would have a better chance for a cure and would not have to be going through the side effects associated with surgery, follow up radiation, Lupron treatments, etc.

We're just a bunch of guys who are trying to make a difference on a motorcycle ride. And I can appreciate that there are those who will disagree but I hope that a few of you will join me. There are a lot of rides and worthwhile efforts to make a difference ... IMHO it's about time we did something for prostate cancer. If we do nothing, everyone will think we don't care ...

Thanks everyone ... let me know if I can answer any questions.

Why is nobody more interested in finding the causes of this or any of the other cancers that seem to attract big attention from well meaning folks?

Instead we go through hell trying to raise money for the non-profit organizations so they can help big pharma come up with more ways to find the problem and more chemicals to "treat" the problem.

I'm not trying to discount your efforts in the least, as I have a grandfather that died of prostate cancer, and I've had leukemia twice... I know your motivations... but I hope you will consider the above question.

It just seems prevention would make a world more sense than starting the fight against these things with detection... just like fighting unwanted pregnancies with pregnancy tests.

 

[SVDon]

I think Chuck is riding his Wee to take the bag from Denver to OK City.

He was on his ST1300 when he met me in Grand Junction to pick it up. I used the Vee to take it Carson City-Salt Lake City-Grand Junction.

We need more VSTrom riders involved in this effort! :hurray:

 

[re_pete_5]

Thanks to Don and Chuck for riding the big miles on V-Stroms! We also have a V-Strom rider riding the Memphis to Nashville leg. I'll be riding a V-Strom too and it would be great to have more involvement from the V-Strom community. We need you. You can follow the ride live at

SPOT Shared Page

And daily posts are on Facebook if you do that sort of thing

Prostate Cancer Pony Express - Non-Profit Organization - Manhattan Beach, CA | Facebook

Why not sign up for a leg and be a part of history ... the first national ride for prostate cancer awareness. Forum

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[re_pete_5]

Springfield IL to Jefferson City MO

Can someone ride from Springfield IL to Jefferson City MO on or about June 3?

 

[re_pete_5]

Just to update everyone on the ride ... we've crossed the country two times and Dan is currently headed toward Indianapolis. We are scheduled to ride to Springfield, IL on June 2. We also have riders for the leg to Jefferson City and on to Des Moines.

From there we lack riders to the west from Lincoln to Cheyenne to Boise to Salem. If we can fill those legs we will have crossed the country three times!!!

Of course we also need help in the northern tier of states too. Let me know if you can help. V-Strom riders have ridden in 13 of the 21 states we have been to so far. I met Jamie in Nashville and took the bag through the southeast. I'm finally home after about 3200 miles and couple of weeks of riding and hope you all can help the ride to continue on in the west.

It's for a good cause ... prostate cancer killed almost 34,000 men last year. Let's get the word out ... hope you all can ride with us when we come through your area. Thanks everyone!

 

[re_pete_5]

Cheyenne to Jackson

We're in Lincoln, NE and will soon be going to Cheyenne, WY. Just writting to see if anyone can go from Cheyenne to Jackson. From Jackson, WY we are going to Helena, MT. Any chance someone can help?

Thanks!!!

 

[re_pete_5]

Montana

Thanks everyone for signing up in the west ... now we need someone in Montana to go to Helena. Can someone meet us halfway for a good cause ... 117 riders have moved the bag through 30 states so far. Can you help us get to Montana?

 

[re_pete_5]

Prostate Cancer Pony Express

Hope everyone within riding distance of Washington DC can join us for the finish of the ride. We started in Daytona during bikeweek on March 17 and with the help of many riders we have crossed the country three times and now have the finish line in sight! Thanks to all the V-Strom riders and everyone who has supported and encouraged us. We've traveled to every state capital for prostate cancer awareness. Right now we are in Minnesota and headed east.



September is national Prostate Cancer Awareness month. Almost 34,000 men died from prostate cancer last year. Early detection with a simple psa test could have prevented most of those deaths. Please help us spread the word. Hope you can show your support and ride with us on September 8/9 in DC ... details are here



Washington, DC – 9/9/2012 | The Prostate Cancer Pony Express



Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Scarlett Harlot]

Just diagnosed with prostate cancer on the 30th of July. Nearly the entire right hemisphere is cancerous but the MRI and nuclear med studies show no mets. My doctor is holding off on surgery until after my wedding on Aug 25th. I'm told the robotic surgery is very well tolerated and I may only miss a week or two of work. Guess I'm lucky.