WEST HARTFORD -- In April, the Zero Prostate Cancer Run/Walk, the largest national men's health event series, will come to West Hartford for the first time. In this Healthier Connections report, brought to you by Hartford HealthCare, FOX 61's Sarah Cody explains why this event is so important.
"I was scared right down to my shoes," said Michael Cascella of Bristol. He becomes emotional when he recalls the moment he learned he had prostate cancer. "My family. That was one of the hardest parts about it. My wife, her reaction to all this."
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin tumor among men in the U.S. today. Cascella's cancer was caught, thanks to PSA screening, which is recommended to men age 55 and up.
Dr. Ryan Dorin, a urologist, took out Cascella's entire prostate using a robot. Hartford HealthCare has one of the largest robotic surgery experiences in the country. After radiation and hormone therapy, Cascella has an excellent prognosis. Cascella will continue to be monitored, but he's so grateful for his new lease on life and the care he received.
"Every step of the way and every step from here on out i know that everything is going to go fine," he said.
Dr. Dorin's office is located at the 1-year-old Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at the Hospital of Central Connecticut. It's a comprehensive center that's warm and welcoming.
Unfortunately, each year in the United States, 30,000 men die from the disease. That's why Hartford HealthCare is hosting the Zero Prostate Cancer Run/Walk on April 10. Nationwide, the event will raise more than $3 million for prostate cancer research, advocacy, and patient education in 2016. Learn more about the event here.
