Edie G.

About Edie G.

This story is about my father and my husband. I wanted to share this because not knowing at the time both of the love(s) of my life would be affected by Prostate cancer.

My father was a good hard working man and raised 6 of us with my mom. He worked several jobs at a time, he always went the extra mile to help friends and neighbors in need even though he was tired himself. He was a cook in the Army and had a real love for cooking. Whenever he made us a meal; he literally “cooked for an Army”. He used to work at a Boy Scout camp and cooked for them (always used to cooking on a large scale) He loved it. He loved helping people; I guess that’s where I get it from. He always took care of everyone, he was selfless. He was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 1990. He was a very proud & modest man and didn’t like discussing personal stuff with anyone. I knew he was worried and scared about his diagnosis. None of us knew anything about prostate cancer. He trusted in me so I made it my mission to get as much knowledge as I could about prostate cancer and find him a good doctor. He started treatment with one of the best hematology/oncologist around whom was very renowned in his field. I told my dad I would help him every step of the way, through thick & thin, take care of all the overwhelming insurance paperwork etc. I lived about 10 houses away from my parents with my husband and two daughters. I came home from work one day and my father says to me: “Sweetie, I think I got you a job at Dr. Kim’s office; I told him how good you were as a secretary”. (Dr. Kim was his Oncologist). I was not looking for a job I already had two. I thought there must have been a reason for this. I took the job. In march of 1994 a few weeks before my dad passed away he confessed to me that he was so thankful and grateful that I took the job with Dr. Kim because he couldn’t understand what the doctor was saying to him at any of his appointments. The reason for this was because Dr. Kim was Korean and he couldn’t understand the way he spoke. He was embarrassed to say that. I learned so much about Prostate cancer and other cancers in those few short years. Dr. Kim passed away that same year due to a car accident injury. I am so grateful for Dr. Kim who taught me as much knowledge as possible on prostate cancer at the time and I am thankful to my father for pushing me into that job. Not knowing it back then brings me to today February 14, 2021.

My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012. He is currently getting hormone injection therapy and doing well with it. I just wanted to tell everyone out there dealing with prostate cancer or any other cancer that being knowledgeable helps to be positive. Positivity comes from being knowledgeable.