Cancer Type- Prostate
Short Bio – Ben Stiller, actor and comedian went on a 3-month roller coaster ride from diagnosis to cancer-free that 180,000 American men identify with yearly. Read his story here…
Story – Diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 48, Ben Stiller actively raises awareness of the disease. He is cancer-free. In his personal article on Medium he stated, “As I learned more about my disease (one of the key learning is not to Google “people who died of prostate cancer” immediately after being diagnosed with prostate cancer), I was able to wrap my head around the fact that I was incredibly fortunate. Fortunately, because my cancer was detected early enough to treat. And also because my internist gave me a test he didn’t have to.”
What does Ben Stiller credit to being cancer-free today? A PSA test. PSA (prostate-specific antigen) detected an elevated level of protein produced by the prostate gland when Stiller was 46. At 48, the test revealed cancer for the actor. He had no symptoms, nor family history for prostate cancer. The test is typically not given to men until the age of 50, and Ben credit’s his doctor for early screening. He caught it early, and today, recommends men get PSA Screenings.
Treatment for prostate cancer does not come without risk. Men can experience problems surrounding sexual function and difficulty with their urination after surgery. Incontinence and impotence can cause problems for the rest of their lives. When asked by Matt Lauer about his side effects after surgery, he said, “all good” and gave a double thumbs-up sign.
When someone has a platform to share and open conversation, it helps others. Thank you Ben for your advocacy with prostate cancer.
– Read Ben Stiller’s Medium Article
– Read Ben Stiller’s Interview with Matt Lauer
Ben Stiller Wife – Christine Taylor (married in 2000)
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/BenStiller/
Charity Foundation – https://www.thestillerfoundation.org/
Ben Stiller Prostate Cancer Update
It has been five years since Ben was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He had treatment and had a tumor removed. Today, he remains cancer-free!
Ben became an advocate for early screenings since he believes that an early PSA test helped save his life. His doctor ordered the PSA test at age 46 as a baseline instead of 50. This screening led to an MRI and then a biopsy, which showed a benign tumor. Even with the controversy over the test in the last few years, Stiller says early detection saves lives.
Besides being a vocal advocate for early screening tests like PSA, he also has the Stiller Foundation. The goal of the Stiller Foundation is that all children deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential and focus primarily on improving educational opportunities for children in Haiti by rebuilding schools. The foundation has also given contributions to Balfour Education Center, in Henderson, North Carolina. Balfour Education Centers help at-risk students. The Stiller Foundation’s support funded community college grants and buying tablet computers and training equipment for students studying for health and fitness professions.
Cancer Horizons thanks Ben Stiller for his outspoken advocacy in the early detection of prostate cancer and trusting your local specialist.
Image Credits – By Montclair Film / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
| Born | Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller, November 30, 1965 (age 54) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian, producer, director, writer |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Spouse(s) | Christine Taylor (m. 2000; sep. 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Jerry Stiller (father), Anne Meara (mother) |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium | Stand-up, film, television |
| Genres | Physical comedy, self-deprecation, observational comedy |
| Subject(s) | Everyday life, popular culture, politics, celebrities |
