Though grateful for the treatment he’d received, Don knew his condition required specialty care. He sought research centers where he could access what he described as the “leading-edge stuff.”
When Don Naples was told he had three to five years to live, the avid hiker and sailor was determined to press forward.
He aimed to apply the same energy that fueled his active pursuits to overcoming cancer. But like so many Californians diagnosed with cancer, the former Navy submariner soon discovered that the journey before him was far from straightforward.
Following a routine physical, Don’s physician made a referral to a urologist for a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive for an aggressive form of prostate cancer, and the prognosis was grim.
This particular subtype of prostate cancer was, as Don put it, “the one you die from.” Indeed, after one round of high-dose radiation and 16 rounds of intensity-modulated radiation therapy, Don wasn’t getting the results his doctors wanted.
Though grateful for the treatment he’d received, Don knew his condition required specialty care. He sought research centers where he could access what he described as the “leading-edge stuff.”
After navigating a series of administrative and scheduling challenges to conduct the scans he needed, Don sought the counsel of an out-of-state specialty center. Within 24 hours, Don secured an appointment to undergo a C11 scan, and prepared to fly halfway across the country. The effort paid off: the advanced diagnostic found cancer next to his lung.
In concert with his California-based physicians, the doctors at the specialty cancer center plotted six rounds of chemotherapy to treat Don’s condition. Meanwhile, Don stayed active by joining the Cancer Wellness program at the Santa Rosa Airport Health Club, a free 10-week course that helped him combat the muscle loss, balance issues, and fatigue caused by treatment. He also adopted a strict vegan diet and he and his wife read book after book about cancer care.
Seven years after his diagnosis, Don is in remission, his cancer is undetectable, and he is as active as ever. He’s already planning his 50th anniversary with his wife in 2028. Looking back, Don credits the combination of advanced diagnostic scanning and an active, health-conscious lifestyle for his improved condition.
While Don found his own way to optimal cancer care, he considers how many cancer patients will unnecessarily suffer because they lack the access, information or means that were available to him. Don is sharing his story so that those facing the same odds he did understand there is a community of cancer patients willing to help guide them through their journey and fight to make the system work better for more patients.
