OncoLink Letter To The Editors: Survivor Story

Ron Kauffman
Last Modified: March 8, 2002

My name is Ron Kauffman, and in April of 1996 I authored the article still carried on Oncolink called: Personal Experiences of a Prostate Cancer Survivor.

I am pleased to say that today, almost 2 years later, I am healthy and remain cancer free, with few lasting effects of either the surgery or ordeal. I can honestly say that lovemaking is not what it once was, but I can also say that the "shots" work miracles and are really not painful.

I am also quite please to say that Oncolink, and my article may contribute to saving yet another life or a current cancer victim. Briefly, here's the story.

My wife is a geriatric social worker and care manager here in Jupiter,Florida. In her work she meets many people, and recently one of her peers mentioned that her father had just recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. My wife mentioned that her husband is a prostate cancer survivor, and that his name (my name) is Ron Kauffman.

The woman asked, "...is that the same Ron Kauffman who wrote an article that appears on the University Pennsylvania Oncolink?", to which my wife responded, "yes". Her friend said that's incredible, because that article had done more to explain prostate surgery from the "victim's" point of view than anything else her father had been able to find in all his research on and off the Internet. Because of that article, and the serendipitous meeting of my wife with that man's daughter, I am scheduled to be in contact with this "victim" and provide counsel and support to yet another upcoming member of the prostate survivors "fraternity", which I am delighted to do. Your service of posting these experiences may have helped contribute to saving another life, and for that I am proud to have been a contributor, and I thank you for your efforts.

I would also like to add that I am most willing to permit you to post my email address along with the article, if you permit that, to enable anyone with questions to contact me via email to further discuss his concerns or to ask about my experiences. You certainly have my permission to do so, and the email address is: DRRON407@aol.com

Also, I will be honored and delighted to speak as someone who knows the fears and concerns,and has been lucky enough to live in good health with a willingness to share the good news about preventative exams, treatments, and survival. Please feel free to provide anyone, victim, spouse, or family with my email if it will help allay the fears of even one person, or might contribute, as it appears will happen with the above mentioned case, to save one more life.

Sincerely,

Ron Kauffman
Jupiter, Florida
DRRON407@aol.com

Read other articles by Ron Kauffman