Evan Saugstad speaks on cancer journey during This Week in the Peace

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Evan Saugstad, former mayor of Chetwynd, a columnist with Energerticcity.ca, and a cancer survivor, joined Steve Berard on the most recent episode of This Week in the Peace to discuss the importance of ‘Movember.’

November is often known as the month to raise awareness for men’s health issues such as mental health, cancer, and suicide prevention.  

According to Saugstad, 1 in 9 men get prostate cancer.

Saugstad first received his first prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test in 2014 during a driver’s license medical examination.

“You don’t know that you have it, and there was nothing to tell you there is something different in your body,” said Saugstad.

He explained that he didn’t even know what a PSA test was at the time. 

After receiving the test, Saugstad’s initial score was over four, which meant there was interest but nothing too disconcerting.

One year later, the score went up to 10.4, and he was advised to see a urologist. 

Surprisingly, Saugstad chose the urologist who also treated his father, who was also diagnosed with prostate cancer years earlier before eventually passing away for unrelated reasons.  

“[The urologist] recognized me by my last name, and he had done the surgery on my father,” said Saugstad.

He was eventually diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2019.

Saugstad explained after his diagnosis that he had two choices for his treatment.

The first was surgical removal (radical prostatectomy) or hormone (androgen deprivation) treatment, followed by five to six weeks of external beam radiation therapy.

He decided on surgical removal but ended up needing radiation treatment as a part of his recovery. 

“The side effects are similar, and the risks are about the same,” Saugstad explained. 

Currently, Saugstad says he doesn’t have cancer but continues to go back for yearly PSA tests. 

When asked if he feels any different compared to the last two years, Saugstad said he experiences side effects from external beam radiation. 

“A lot of the side effects you might not know for five years or more because it may just kill a few ‘good cells,’ and then it takes years for the body to miss them.” 

Saugstad was very grateful for the medical professionals he had while also reflecting on the most challenging parts of his cancer journey. 

“It’s not until I read [my story back] again, I realize how much time I spent travelling.”

According to Saugstad, he had to travel to several places at high costs for even the simplest things. 

Saugstad advises all men aged 50 or over to get a PSA test and understand their family history of illnesses and ethnic history. 

“If your doctor doesn’t recommend it, ask to get it; otherwise, go do it yourself,” said Saugstad.

Saugstad also recommends donating to cancer research through the various cancer centers or through Movember. 

Evan Saugstad’s eight-part writing series on his journey with prostate cancer can be read on Energeticcity.ca. 

The final part of his series will be posted on Friday, November 22nd.