LAWTON, Okla_The month of November
has been nicknamed "mo"vember. It's the one month a year when growing a
moustache, no matter how burly and unattractive, is not only ok, but
encouraged. Men let their moustaches grow freely to raise awareness for
prostate cancer. The moustache is just a symbol and it's one of many ways that
people can join in the fight against this disease.
Marion Lennox
is an inspiration to many, he talks about the importance of early detection all
over the country. It's become his mission to get as many men into see a doctor
as possible. He says it's life saving.
Prostate cancer
is the second deadliest form of cancer, just after lung cancer. In 2012 there
were about 240,000 new cases. It affects millions of men each year. In August
of 2006, Lennox found out that he was one of
those statistics.
"I was
rocking along, cutting grass, doing anything I wanted."
Prostate cancer
is a silent killer and It often goes undetected.
"Cancer
can happen and you don't even know it."
The only reason
Lennox knew his body was changing, was because
he regularly tested his prostate specific antigen or PSA.
"I knew
there was something wrong with my body because my PSA kept going up."
He went to Oklahoma City for a
biopsy. That's when he learned he had cancer. Lennox
said there was no time to dwell on the situation or feel sorry for himself. He
wanted to know everything there was to know about prostate cancer, so he spoke
with his doctors.
"We talked
about my options. Then I got some material and started reading."
He said he
studied prostate cancer day in and day out during his treatment and recovery. Lennox chose a common treatment method, seeds. It's a
quick procedure where doctors place radioactive seeds next to the tumor.
Overtime, they kill the cancer, and lower the PSA. The procedure worked for Lennox and he's been cancer free for six years, with a PSA
of zero point one.
"Early
detection is the reason I'm a survivor. I went early, I kept my appointments.
Since I came out of the military, I got my prostate checked twice a year."
Lennox said his
battle with prostate cancer changed him, it shed light on a passion of his.
Spreading the message of awareness.
"Prostate
cancer has made me a better person. I tell people all the time, this is my
passion. Prostate cancer. Hey, I go around, any time I see a man younger than
me, 10 years, 20 years, I start talking to them about prostate cancer. This is
what I do ma'am."
Lennox has personalized letters from his doctors thanking him for all he
does to spread the message of awareness and early detection to men who have
hesitations about seeing a doctor. Lennox said over and over again that the
"machoness has got to go" he says that macho mentality is what often
keeps men from making an appointment, one that could potentially save their
life.
