Dan McCollum – Prostate Cancer Survivor and Advocate
By Franklin DeFelice
After surviving prostate cancer, Dan McCollum has taken the fight against this disease from a personal struggle to fighting for patients throughout Tennessee. McCollum successfully underwent surgery for his cancer five years ago, and is thankfully cancer free to this day.
McCollum was motivated by his experience to shed more light on this disease. McCollum started a non-profit organization, The Prostate Cancer Coalition of Tennessee, to help educate men and women across the state about the importance of early detection and the variety of treatment options available.
In response to efforts led by McCollum, Governor Bredesen proclaimed September 2008 to be Prostate Cancer Awareness month in Tennessee. This is a victory for prostate cancer advocates who have longed tried to bring the disease out of obscurity and into the spotlight. Bringing awareness to prostate cancer is crucial in that early detection of the disease is extremely important in treating and eventually surviving the disease.
Following the lead of courageous individuals such as Dan McCollum, men and those that support them can fight this disease until it is a thing of the past.
For more information about the Prostate Cancer Coalition of Tennessee, contact Dan McCollum at danmccollum@pcctn.org