Prostate cancer: 'Too many guys just suffer in silence'

Lyle Dickieson has made healthy choices throughout his life and that’s taken his body above and beyond the limits of what most people would consider possible for themselves.

For years, Dickieson excelled as a competitive whitewater paddler and when the rivers froze over, he made the switch to long track speed skating to enter marathon events, racing laps around lakes on courses 100 kilometres long. They were challenges that emptied his reserves of strength and endurance but he had the mental toughness needed and until he crossed the finish line he always remained in control of his own fate.

He can’t say the same about his race against cancer.

First diagnosed in 2015, Dickieson had surgery four years later to remove his prostate gland, an invasive procedure he thought was going to provide a permanent solution. His prognosis changed when his PSA levels started to climb again in February 2020 and that’s continued with each blood test.

This summer, the 65-year-old Dickieson is facing radiation treatments and hormone deprivation therapy to try to stop it, and he knows he’s not alone in that fight.  In fact, he’s got a team behind him to help him through his darkest days. He’s joined the Wheelin’ Warriors of the North and is leading the group’s fundraising efforts to try to find a cure for the disease.

“I wanted to join them earlier but it just didn’t feel right until I knew more about my own situation,” said Dickieson. “Once I had my surgery and thought I was clear, that’s when I joined.”

Dickieson is retired from his job at BC Tel (now Telus) and he spends his winters speed skating and cross-country skiing and now he’s riding his bike regularly, which has kept him physically fit.

“I’m in great shape,” he said. “When I’m in hospital doing stuff you get a nurse checking your heart rate, and then they double-check it and look at how old I am. They’re not expecting that.”

Prostate cancer is typically slow-moving and after his surgery medical staff kept a close watch on Dickieson’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein levels in his blood. After months of elevated levels, a biopsy confirmed the cancer and surgery was the next step.

“All the indications after surgery was they got it all and I thought 'yahoo, I’m done with all this,'” he said. “Every three months I have to get blood tests done and they showed a rise in my PSA level and it established a pattern that it’s come back. It’s at a low level but now they’re looking at the rate that it’s doubling, and that will determine my treatment.”

Men over the age of 50, especially those with male relatives who had prostate cancer, are encouraged to go to their doctor regularly for a digital rectal test and blood test. Symptoms of prostate cancer include difficulty urinating, increased frequency of urination, decreased force in the stream of urine, blood in the urine, blood in the semen, bone pain, losing weight without trying and erectile dysfunction. Similar symptoms can occur in prostatitis, a swelling/inflammation of the prostate.

“Prostate cancer is one of those things guys don’t want to talk about and it’s so treatable, but you’ve got to get checked,” said Dickieson. “It’s been very gratifying that by doing this I’ll get messages from buddies or just by talking to them they go, ‘Hey, I got checked and I’m good.' That’s the starting point. Too many guys just suffer in silence. It’s an embarrassing thing but it doesn’t get any easier by just ignoring it. For all the guys out there, just start that conversation with your doctor.”

Karin Piche founded the Wheelin’ Warriors in October 2012 as a tribute to her best friend, Nola Gordon, who died of skin cancer, and the team had its inaugural ride the following year. In May 2020, the organization passed the million dollar mark for money raised. But it’s been a struggle trying to maintain a profile in the community during the pandemic, which has hovered over society for 15 months. The Warriors were forced to cancel their fundraising gala last year and this year’s gala event was also scrapped.  

“I think we raised a quarter-million in 2019 and in 2020 and 2021, to date, we’ve raised $100,000 - that gives you an idea of how the fundraising dollars have been impacted by COVID,” said Piche. “Events are based on larger numbers of people getting together and of course we weren’t able to do that. Who knew COVID would carry on as long as it has?”

Whitewater canoeing and speed skating are individual sports and the social aspect of going out on group training rides with the Warriors was appealing to Dickieson. He loved riding and was on his bike for about 3,000 kilometres last year. But he had just started getting into his group rides when the pandemic hit and all those large group gatherings stopped.

“It’s been a disappointment in that regard,” he said. “I rode with a bunch of folks last year but we’d only had four or five at a time and stayed distanced. We’re being really cautious. COVID is such a viral thing and being right behind a guy on a bike that’s huffing and puffing is not a great idea, even though you are outside.”

The Wheelin’ Warriors are mostly based in Prince George but some have moved to other cities and still want to remain connected for the large group rides. For several years prior to 2020, the Warriors were part of the Ride to Conquer Cancer, the largest annual fundraiser for the B.C. Cancer Agency. The two-day, 2,000-rider event in 2019 took riders from Vancouver to Hope.

The ride has since been rebranded as Tour de Cure and it’s now a virtual event in which each participant registers online and then will complete the course as an individual or as part of small group on Aug. 28. Each of the riders will be gathering sponsors and will have the choice of 50-kilometre, 100 km or 160 km distances.

“You can ride anywhere in your community and here in Prince George it’s really dependent on how things go with the provincial health orders and vaccine rollout,” said Piche. “If we were to ride tomorrow we wouldn’t be able to go in groups larger than 10, I believe, which is difficult when you have a team of 92.”

Last year, Dickieson raised $7,500 for the cancelled ride and his total was carried over into this year. With close to 70 donors, he’s just shy of $20,000 as the Warriors’ top fundraiser. He has a letter he sends through email and calls it "Begging for Bucks", and because so many people have been affected by cancer he says it's the easiest ask in the world. Dickieson’s fundraising page is on the Tour de Cure website.

All the money the Warriors raise for the B.C. Cancer Foundation stays in northern B.C. and goes to the B.C. Cancer Centre for the North. The Warriors’ efforts fund research and equipment and also feed  the comfort fund to help pay travel costs for people coming to Prince George for their cancer treatments and procedures. Piche says the money is making an impact.

“Just in the few years I’ve been involved in the ride I’ve seen so much change for the better in cancer diagnosis and treatment and care,” she said. “It makes me feel good that the dollars making a difference, because they really are.”