Franklin Legree

Franklin Legree wasn’t shocked when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2014. Not only had his father died from the disease at age 76, but Franklin had also experienced some prostate problems of his own in his teen years. Those two factors made him more vigilant about his own health, including regular prostate cancer screening.

Franklin has a slower-growing type of prostate cancer, and he opted for active surveillance rather than surgery. As part of this plan, he visits urologist Jean Joseph, M.D., M.B.A., every three to four months and monitors his cancer with regular biopsies and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. He’s been pleased with his care and says his partnership with Joseph and his care team has been informative.

Since his diagnosis, Franklin has made some changes to his diet, cutting out red meat, sugar and dairy. He continues to exercise and take supplements. His adult son also made healthy lifestyle changes and will start screening for the PSA screening in a few years.

Even though his diagnosis wasn’t a surprise, it did remind Franklin how much he appreciates his loved ones.

“It just makes me treasure and value that I was able to not only watch my son grow, but to grow with him. I relish the opportunity that I had to teach him how to catch a baseball, how to throw one,” he says. “I cannot have my son witnessing his father give in, give out and give up."