Charles
(Chuck)Maack and Ann live in Wichita, Kansas U.S.A. He was 59 when he was
diagnosed in Nov. 1992 His initial PSA was 6.8ng/ml and his Gleason Score was
3+4=7. He says he was staged T3aN0MX, but that is his pathological staging after
surgery rather than his clincial stage which seems as if it would have been T1c.
The treatment his urologist chose for him was Radical Prostatectomy (Surgery).
Here is his story:
I
advanced to the top of the enlisted ranks as a Master Chief Cryptologic Technician
and retired after 27 ½ years in the United States Navy and 18 years civilian employment
in management. Following military service and already in a management position,
I studied to an Associate in Arts degree (summa cum laude) to satisfy myself I
could do so. My wife Ann and I have been married since April 6, 1954 and have
four children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Since 1996
I have been an active participant in the Wichita, Kansas Chapter, Us TOO Intl.,
Inc., and was instrumental in its incorporation in the State of Kansas as a 501(c)(3)
Not-for-Profit Charitable Corporation as a chapter of the Us TOO Intl., Inc. Prostate
Cancer Education and Support Network. I currently serve on the chapter Board of
Directors as Treasurer and on the Coordinating Committee as Program Director,
Treasurer, and Website Manager.
I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in
December 1992 with subsequent treatment over the years of radical prostatectomy
followed by external beam radiation, 3 years apparent remission with PSA 0.1ng/ml,
then return of slow rise PSA to 0.81ng/ml. After 5 ½ years Androgen Deprivation
Therapy (ADT1/2) with PSA <0.01ng/ml, began 2 years off-phase (Intermittent Androgen
Deprivation Therapy - IADT). After another return of slow rise PSA to 0.13ng/ml,
returned to ADT but this time ADT3 (Lupron/Casodex/Avodart). With November 2003
to February 2005 continuous fifteen month <0.01ng/ml PSA, have since been on second
off-phase from ADT but with continued Avodart maintenance. My intention is to
remain in this second off-phase until my PSA reaches 2.0ng/ml. Unless there is
an update to the foregoing diagnostics, I continue in this second off-phase.
I am an aggressive student in the biology, methodology, and treatment of Prostate
Cancer by means of the internet, medical books and periodicals dealing with Prostate
Cancer, Emails with physicians who specialize in the treatment of Prostate Cancer,
other physicians, other survivors, attending annual conferences on Prostate Cancer,
and just about any reliable source in order to be aware of the latest advances
in Prostate Cancer research and treatment with which to make intelligent health
care decisions with physicians and knowledgeable discussion and direction to patient
empowerment when asked for counsel.
I have written several articles in
advocacy for men and their caregivers regarding Prostate Cancer and the many issues
involved in the treatment of this disease (see "Observations")
to support, educate, empower, and hopefully ease their concerns. I speak and volunteer
at seminars, health fairs, and other groups, large and small.
In association
with a son who is Special Projects Manager for Computer Training Systems and Network
Applications in Wichita, I provided the input material and my son provided the
expertise to develop and program - and the computer company sponsor - a website,
for the Wichita chapter.
I
served on the Chapters Advisory Panel of Us TOO Intl., Inc., and currently serve
on the Patient Advisory Council of the Prostate Cancer Research and Education
Foundation (PAC-PCREF), and as an on-call counsellor for the Wichita branch of
the American Cancer Society and the Victory-in-the-Valley Cancer Patient Support
organization on matters relating to Prostate Cancer. I was selected and participated
as a Consumer Reviewer regarding Cell Biology in Reston, Virginia as part of the
Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) sponsored by the Department of Defense,
United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, 2006 Congressionally
Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). I was invited again in 2007 and served
as a Consumer Reviewer-Mentor regarding Physical Imaging. I was also invited to
participate in IMPaCT (Innovative Minds in Prostate Cancer Today) in September
2007 at a gathering in Atlanta of over 600 Prostate Cancer Research Scientists
and 100 other Consumer Reviewers/PC survivors/Advocates.
I am an active
advocate for increasing extremely necessary Prostate Cancer research funding,
awareness of the disease by all men, annual examinations, early detection, time
for education and empowerment while appropriate initial testing is performed to
determine where the cancer is located as well as obtaining biomarkers to evaluate
along with the PSA level any other increasing levels or abnormalities, early treatment
as the result of educated choice, hopeful cure, and the advent of affordable cost
of cancer medications that can inhibit or kill cancer cell growth and prolong
life.
Chuck's
e-mail address is: maack1@cox.net
PROSTATE
CANCER BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES (CHUCK) MAACK
8201 E. Harry #1804, Wichita, KS
67207 Tel: (316) 993-6997
