A Two-time Prostate Cancer Survivor’s Journey: The Best Way Is Acceptance
John Loh’s paddle glides quietly and smoothly through the water. With each stroke, he maintains a steady cadence that synchronises seamlessly with his other dragon boat colleagues as they race towards the finish line together.
The 68-year-old is part of the Purple Dragons, a Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) dragon boat team made up of cancer survivors, caregivers and staff. As a volunteer leader, he helps with the logistics and planning of training sessions and participation in corporate events.
Coordinating between multiple parties on and off the boat can be exhausting, but John approaches each training and task with the same grace he displayed during his prostate cancer diagnosis: Calmly and with acceptance, carefully choosing when to push and when to go with the flow.
Keeping Calm and Paddling Through the Odds
John discovered he had Stage 3 prostate cancer during an annual health screening in 2014. He started doing the test after he turned 50, which allowed him to catch the rise in cancer markers quickly.
He took the news of his diagnosis surprisingly calmly. “Okay, must go for treatment lor,” he says with a shrug.
When surgery left him with unpleasant side effects of urine leaking when he laughed or coughed too hard, he again took it in his stride.
“At first you will feel it is very jialat, but you will find a way [to adapt],” he says simply, eagerly explaining that there are exercises that can strengthen one’s pelvic muscles and minimise the problem.
He remained steadfast when the cancer returned in 2019 and he had to start radiotherapy. And when the treatment caused insomnia that frustrated him for more than six months, John remained calm again and found ways to overcome his circumstances through prescribed sleeping pills and TCM medication.
Lucky to Find the Walnut Warriors
Despite his circumstances, John considers himself lucky. When he was first diagnosed and confused about treatment options, he was quick to discover Walnut Warriors, a Singapore Cancer Society support group for men with prostate cancer.
While searching the internet for an understanding of the disease had scared him, talking to other survivors gave him confidence.
“They are very open about sharing. They never pester you and tell you what to do, but they give you an objective view and then it’s not so scary,” he recalls.
Listening to their experiences and advice, John felt much better equipped to cope with the disease. He also finally felt ready to talk to his family members about his illness.
As he struggled with the side effects and relapse, it was also the men he met in the support group who gave him the courage to keep fighting.
Particularly memorable for John was to meet a friend who also joined Purple Dragons. The man suffered from urinary incontinence and struggled when he could not access a toilet during the two-hour team training. But instead of dropping out, he chose to put on diapers during each session.
“He didn’t give up, and this gave the rest of us inspiration that we should not give up as well and we can overcome this inconvenient way of life,” John declares.
Find Acceptance and Support
Today, John is not only active as a volunteer with the Purple Dragons, but also with the Walnut Warriors, where he is always willing to share his experiences with others and lend a helping hand.
If his cancer has taught him anything, it's that not everything is under control and that acceptance is sometimes the key to thriving.
“Don’t keep on questioning and asking why this or why that, it will only make yourself feel very down,” he advises. Instead, know that you are not alone—support groups are around to offer help.
Because in a way, the journey can be compared to the races he takes part in with the Purple Dragons: There are moments of pain and struggle, but it always helps to have good people who can paddle with you to the finish line.