Big Stone urges men to get tested for prostate cancer

Social media blogger and philanthropist Claude 'Big Stone' Sinclair is using his cancer diagnosis to encourage Jamaican men, especially those over age 40, to get their prostates checked.

Sinclair urged them to get the digital rectal examination once annually, but admitted that men are often reluctant to have anything placed in their rectum.

"We don't discuss prostate cancer and you will never see two men sitting on the corner just asking each other when they are going to get a test done. They are so scared of the procedure. I wasn't scared but I didn't get tested because it wasn't the norm or a public service announcement where everybody can reach out and actually hear it," he said.

According to the Jamaica Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the island, and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. It is highly treatable if caught in its early stages, but usually goes undetected until it's too late. Sinclair was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer late last month.

"It has now spread to my left pelvis and hip. I have decided to go public about this monstrous disease because Jamaican men, or black men on a whole, are always afraid of digital rectal exam because of buck breaking," he said. This was a brutal form of punishment used against enslaved African men in the US during the 18th and 19th centuries.

According to Sinclair, late last year, he had a burning sensation whenever he urinated. He was given a week's medication for a urinary tract infection, but the symptoms remained.

"I was still urinating up to 12 times a night after the medication and the pain was still excruciating. My doctor suggested that I see a urologist where I did a prostate exam. The fear jump in my mind same time ... but the urologist told me that my situation was dire and I had to do it," Sinclair said.

A digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test were recommended. The test measures the level of PSA - a protein produced by normal and malignant cells of the prostate gland - in the blood. Sinclair said his level was 72.8 which prompted a biopsy. He did the biopsy on November 28, and had to get a catheter installed; the pain had become even more intense.

"On December 27, my doctor called me and gave me the results and he told me it was cancer. I then got more bad news as the CT scan revealed that the cancer was at stage 4 and it had spread to my hip and femur. So I am feeling a lot of pain from my knee to my hip. At nights I cannot sleep and it attack you after midnight," he said.

Despite his grave diagnosis, Sinclair remains optimistic that he will beat the dreadful disease, and through his discomfort, has managed to continue doing charitable deeds.

"Out of negative must come positive and I want to thank everyone who has been supporting me including my family and friends. I know I am going to beat this," he said. Sinclair has started a fund-raising campaign for his cancer treatment that has so far raised US$1,250 (approximately J$193,000) of the US$50,000 (J$7.7 million) goal.

Prominent urologist Dr Elon Thompson said the fact that men still have stage 4 prostate cancer means that there are still gaps in the message.

"Screening for prostate cancer is designed to not have persons reach the advanced stage. If persons are appropriately screened at the right time, then you will have a significant drop in the amount of persons who have an advanced disease. We as doctors are still seeing many persons who have advanced prostate cancer and it means that the message about screening is not getting to the private audience. A man should get a PSA by the time he reaches age 40. What we know is that the number of men coming in is still not enough for screening," he said.

Sinclair said that he has changed his diet and is opting for medical castration as a form of treatment. In this procedure, medication is used to block the testosterone in the body in order for the cancer to perish.

Persons wishing to assist Sinclair with his cancer treatment may make donations at https://realhelpinghands.com/campaign/help-claude-big-stone-sinclair-fig....