A Prostate Success Story - Tom Lennon

Tom Lennon on Barnaby Peak in Marin

Tom recently had a re-biopsy at UCF Medical Center. He didn't want to do it! Like most of us with prostate disease he was not looking forward to the experience and it's potential for infection and side effects. But then came the good news - no Gleason score, no cancer. Just some undifferentiated cells, what layman sometimes call "fence sitters", cells that are not sure which way to go! So what is Tom doing? The doctors didn't ask which is pretty typical. Tom eats a Prostate friendly diet, gets lots of physical activity, practices stress management and has a zest for life. He's taking the PAF proactive approach to Prostate cancer. He tells us he is cautiously triumphant. Bravo Tom.

Carrageenan Alert

Carrageenan is a widely used food additive extracted from red seaweed and used as a thickening agent.

We were surprised to read in an article by Andrew Weil, MD that it has inflammatory qualities and is actually used on lab animals to stimulate inflammation. Since Prostate cancer is an inflammatory condition this is a good substance to avoid. We found it in many dairy substitutes like non-dairy yogurts, non-dairy creamers, ice creams and milk substitutes. Read your labels!

Pole Mtn., Sonoma Coast

We did the 1st "official" Land Trust guided hike of 2200' Pole Mountain on the Sonoma County coastline in late September. Spectacular views & scenery and a lot of nice people.

California Prostate Cancer Coalition Meeting

I attended this annual meeting a couple of weeks ago in San Francisco. I helped found this group of Prostate support group leaders way back in the mid-90's when the tenants of the Prostate Awareness Foundation were very far from mainstream. I'm proud to say a noticeable difference was apparent in 2014 - diet, exercise, stress management   and a zest for life are now concepts that are  now more mainstream options. I somehow feel vindicated. The keynote speaker was Max Roach, MD the chief of radiology at UCSF Medical. Dr Roach discussed his recent successes with salvage radiation after failed radiation treatment.

 

Butano State Park Hike & Camp

We did our last PAF camping trip of the year last week to Butano State Park in the Santa Cruz Mtns not far from Pescadero (Fish Town). This is one of the least visited state parks. Hardly anyone there. Great hiking and camping in the redwoods.

Cancer Climb, Trek & Gathering - 2014

Eleven men with an average age of  68 participated in this years annual fundraising expedition. The men either have prostate cancer themselves or have close friends or family that does. We started with an urban hike in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Walter Radtke, Santa Rosa, CA. Rick Mohovich, NJ & Ralph Lake, TX are shown below at one of the parks windmills.

Napa Valley Pre-Climb Tune-Up for the Yosemite Climb

 Five PAF climbers on the Yosemite Cancer Climb, Trek and Gathering for Prostate Awareness expedition in August did a three day hike and camp in the Napa Valley in late July. The highlight was an 8 hour hike thru some of the most rugged terrain we have ever hiked in. The temperature was over 100 degrees and we were confronted by rattle snakes along the way. 
Looming over the town of Calistoga located at the North end of California's Napa Valley vineyards is a rugged volcanic escarpment known as The Palisades. The center of the 3 parts of the trail, winds along the base of the rocky outcroppings, dipping into 3 large "amphitheaters" or scallops shaping the Palisades' 3.6 mile length. The trail is not for the faint-hearted, particularly in Summer where 90* + temperatures are common. It is narrow, somewhat level, with rock steps frequently encountered, and frequent sections where the trail is little more than footholds in the hillside. This video will give you an indication of what you will encounter if you are planning a Palisades hike."

Here's the edited version of the Palisades hike.   It gives a sense of trail conditions for anyone wanting to do the hike and will join the half dozen other videos on YouTube showing the Palisades:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKBNCZwctMA&feature=youtu.be

Videographer/Editor Walter Alter

Artist - Heretic - Savant
http://walteralter.byethost32.com/