By Lex Feuchter, Hannah Citron, Hailey Cylinder, Emily Digiuseppe, Aubrey Ennis, and Talya Iamurri

Professor John Sanders, a man who spent 28 years shaping minds in business and informational technologies at Delaware Valley University, suddenly found himself facing a different kind of lesson about the reality of mortality.

“When it comes to prostate cancer, you always think it’s going to be the other guy, you never think it’s going to be you,” he said.

In October 2023, he became ‘the other guy’ when at 66, after a routine blood test revealed a rise in his PSA levels. He recalled sitting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office for more testing. Most of the men there were by themselves, all alone. 

Not him. He was there because his wife, Andrea Lawful-Sanders, insisted he get a check-up, and a test revealed he had prostate cancer.

“My wife was holding my hand the whole time, and at that moment, she squeezed my hand even harder,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I was going to die. I talked to the doctors, and they told me there were various procedures and I had options. I decided surgery was the best treatment for me.”

More than a year later, Sanders underwent a surgical procedure to detect if the prostate gland was working correctly, and it wasn’t. On January 8, 2024, Sanders nearly died from complications of that surgery. A year later, on January 8, 2025, Sanders was able to enjoy a vacation with his wife to Puerto Rico, the place where they first got married. 

About 1 in every 44 men will die of Prostate Cancer according to The American Cancer Society, and 1 in 6 black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and many of them keep it to themselves because of embarrassment. Sanders hopes that by sharing his story, he can give back and save as many people as possible.

“Cancer is no longer the death sentence that it used to be.”

Professor John Sanders

“Don’t be embarrassed”

While the stigma surrounding men and their health has gotten better in recent years, Sanders feels it still needs to be talked about more openly. Many men will go through this experience alone as they are too embarrassed or too ashamed to admit that they had the test done or are getting it done. The test itself is a 45-second examination of the anus, he said. This is what fuels most of the stigma surrounding the test as guys will say they don’t want anything to do with it because it is seen “as emasculating,” he said. Some hospitals are removing this test as a mandatory one in the hope of having more men come in to get tested, he said. Sanders sees it as 45 seconds that can save a life

“Don’t be afraid, Don’t be ashamed, and Don’t be embarrassed to get the test done because it could save your life, and it saved mine.”

Sanders believes one of the ways to de-stigmatize the ailment is to simply talk more about it. 

“When I found out I told everyone I knew, I told my family, I told my friends, I told people at church and even told people in my community because this is something that can be addressed if caught early.”

His biggest cheerleader

Sanders said his wife Andrea is his “biggest cheerleader.” Sanders said that when he was in surgery and in critical condition, his wife told doctors, “My husband walked in here; he is not leaving in a body bag.”

She was the one that first insisted that he get more testing done in the first place, despite being told by a nurse that it was not necessary.

Sanders is an adjunct professor teaching at Delaware Valley University. He has taught at Delaware Valley for 28 years, teaching business and Information Technology. For three of those years, Sanders fought against prostate cancer and he still does.

Despite those uncertain years, he refused to use the word “devastating,” to describe them.

“I never use the words ‘hard or difficult, I always use the word  challenging. I always want to use the word challenging. Because when it’s a challenge that means you can be victorious. Sometimes when it’s hard or difficult, it makes it even less of a challenge and almost more of a defeat.” 

Now, he speaks to his community and other people to help make a difference and bring awareness to prostate cancer. “This is something we should all be aware of. I’m not ashamed, I’m not embarrassed…. this is something that can be addressed and caught early,” he said.

The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear you have cancer is, ‘I’m gonna die.’ I’m not going to be there for my wife, or for my kids, or for my grandkids, or to watch the Eagles win another SuperBowl. I’m gonna die.’ ”

Today, Sanders treasures every moment of life and embraces every opportunity to share his story to save others.

Finding and Giving Support

Today, he continues to teach Business Administration and Information
Technology, but he also educates beyond the confines of a classroom. He is part of an advocacy group for prostate cancer at his church with a focus on people of color who have been historically underserved by the medical field.

Sanders noted that “the older you get, the more problems you have. As a person of color, you may get problems sooner.”

He also stresses the importance of having a support group, with his being his wife and family, but that there’s a support group out there for everyone; it’s just a matter of finding it.

Sanders and other church members will hold a zoom meeting every month to educate young men about prostate cancer.

“I’m not a preacher or a minister, but I like telling the word about what’s going on in prostate cancer,” Sanders said.

When asked about what he changed after his overall experience with prostate cancer, he said,

“I didn’t change anything, but I realized life is precious and started calling my family members every Sunday just to see how they were doing.”

To Learn More

Prostate Health Education Network: To learn more about prostate cancer and educational support groups.

Black Men’s Prostate Cancer Initiative: https://zerocancer.org/black-men/prostate-cancer-initiative#:~:text=The%20Black%20Men’s%20Prostate%20Cancer,groups%20and%20a%20podcast%20series.