Nonprofit Organization Raises Awareness for
Prostate Cancer Gay and Lesbian Times
by Randy Hope
September 25, 2008
Imperial Court helps support
cause
Among gay men and for most GLBT cancer patients, the
subject of prostate cancer is complicated by the
intersecting stigma of both cancer and
homosexuality.
“Most people do not want to talk about prostate
cancer and most straight people do not want to talk
about homosexuality,” said Michael Lamont, a
prostate cancer survivor and the president of
Prostate Support Advocates (PSA), Inc. Lamont said
it is not surprising the overwhelming majority of
personal and professional publications about
prostate cancer are written by, for and about
heterosexual men and their female partners.
“If prostate cancer, in general, is off
most people’s radar screen, then gay men with
prostate cancer are a truly invisible species,” said
the 51-year-old City Heights resident.
In May 2007, Lamont received a phone call
from his Urologist saying a previous biopsy tested
positive for cancer. Three months later Lamont had a
Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy to remove the
prostate and surrounding tissue.
During the time of diagnosis and the surgery,
Lamont searched the Internet and went to support
groups in order to get information and talk with men
who were either living with prostate cancer or who
had one of the various treatments.
“Although the Internet is a great place to find
information, it can be very overwhelming. I found
plenty of information about the medical aspect of
the subject, but there was very little information
about what a prostate cancer patient faces
emotionally,” he said, noting he wanted to change
that so others would not have to face a diagnosis
with fear.
After much research, reading and attending
lectures on prostate cancer, Lamont said he realized
there is no need for anyone to die of prostate
cancer. That inspired him to start PSA along with
his mother Virginia Farley, a breast cancer
survivor.
“Although prostate cancer is the most commonly
occurring cancer in men, it is highly treatable and
often considered curable if diagnosed early,” he
said.
Early diagnosis is often the key between
life and death.
Lamont said there is no proof prostate cancer is
any more prevalent in the gay community than in the
straight community.
There is, however, proof gay men are less likely
to go to the doctor than straight men.
A survey by the Williams Institute on Sexual
Orientation Law at UCLA estimates gay seniors are
half as likely to have medical coverage as their
straight counterparts.
This means they are less likely to get tested and
less likely to be diagnosed, Lamont said.
“There is a myth that if you have anal sex you
are more prone, but it is likely linked with diet,
ethnic background and heredity,” he said, noting
high fat and high red meat diets are strongly linked
with the disease.
Black men are much more prone to prostate cancer,
according to the American Cancer Society, which says
it strikes them at an earlier age and is much more
aggressive.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several
symptoms that one might have prostate cancer,
including a sensation that your bladder doesn’t
empty, blood in your urine, painful ejaculation,
general pain in the lower back, hips or upper
thighs, persistent bone pain, as well as loss of
appetite and weight.
Still professionals urge that symptoms are not
always present, especially during the first stages
of prostate cancer, Lamont said.
Additionally, many symptoms of prostate cancer
mimic Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, an enlargement of
the prostate gland. Most men over 50 will have some
enlargement of the prostate.
But Lamont urges men to be proactive and get
tested.
“Have a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test in
order to establish a baseline,” Lamont said. “Chart
your annual PSA tests to see if it is rising
rapidly. If it doubles within a year, this is a red
flag, but don’t be alarmed. Take charge of your body
and let an urologist, not your primary care
physician, determine the results.”
Earlier this month, PSA held a fund-raiser at the
home of San Diego resident Bobbie Buchanan to
introduce the organization to the community.
Approximately 50 supporters showed up and raised
more than $1,000 for the organization.
The Imperial Court de San Diego made a $500
contribution to help support the cause.
“The Imperial Court has a long history of
reaching out to assist those in need, so it is with
great joy that we donated this money to help bring
awareness to the fight of prostate cancer so many
members of our community often face in silence,”
said “Big” Mike Phillips, president of the Imperial
Court de San Diego board of directors.
“For so long the community has focused its
efforts on chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS. In
the lesbian community, the focus has turned to
breast cancer, yet we cannot forget the other
chronic illnesses that members of the GLBT community
face,” he said.
Lamont said he hopes the organization will
eventually grow into a permanent home and become a
one-stop shop to include a variety of services for
pre- and post-surgery support and mental health
counseling for patients and family members of those
with prostate cancer.
In the meantime the PSA offices are located in
Lamont’s home.
There is also a gay men’s prostate cancer group
at The Center’s S.A.G.E. office (3138 Fifth Ave.)
every Monday at 6:30 p.m.
“It was started by a gentleman and the American
Cancer Society a few years ago and is one of only
three such groups in the country,” he said, noting
with continued support from the community he is
confident that will soon change.
