Prostate cancer support group offers hope, relief to men in London, Sarnia, Wallaceburg

Neil Langlois is sharing his experience with prostate cancer — he's a survivor and once a month meets with the London Sarnia Wallaceburg (LSW) Prostate Cancer Support Group to work through the trauma it caused.

“I was not only scared, but I would say feeling a little victimized and certainly unsure of what my future held. I was worried about, ‘would everything be okay for the rest of my family? My wife... My kids…’ ” Langlois told CTV News.

By the time he was diagnosed, it had already spread to his lungs and was stage four.

“I was diagnosed by accident. My life insurance company had sent all of my life insurance documents to someone in eastern Ontario, so my renewal wasn't met,” he recalled.

“During a blood test, I was notified that I failed and needed medical attention. Had it been discussed when I was 50 or before that, chances are it wouldn't have gone as far as it did," he explained.

Langlois said the late detection made saving his life more complicated.

Detection comes from a prostate specific antigen blood test, which needs a doctor referral, and costs Ontario men $35.00 out of pocket.

LSW support group organizer Carl Kelly told CTV News he wants to see it covered under OHIP.

“I think it would go a long way in early detection and there are people out there that just don't have $35 to do it. It's unfortunate, but that could be a deterrent for guys getting it done too. The point is, why do I have to pay for it? So there's a case there for having it covered,” Kelly explained.

Both Carl and Neil say, the later the detection, the greater the emotional turmoil.

"It's funny how alone you would possibly feel, but it's far better to sit in a room with men who are experiencing the same challenges that you are and have the opportunity to listen to them and hear the emotion in their voices and let them tell you what they're feeling,” said Langlois.