Kyle’s positive attitude toward regular health checks has saved his life—twice. Although he admits his wife, Doris, a retired respiratory therapist, has offered an encouraging nudge when needed.

An Unexpected Cancer Diagnosis

It was a routine health check with his primary care physician that revealed Kyle had a kidney stone. "I didn’t know I had a stone; I wasn’t experiencing any pain," he recalls. Still, his doctor referred him to Dr. Keith Waguespack, a board-certified urologist and top prostate cancer surgeon.

The Mass Was Cancerous

"When I heard cancer, I was shocked," he remembers. "I hadn’t experienced any symptoms. At that point, I was 57 and had outlived my father."

Life with One Kidney

The tumor needed to be surgically removed, but appeared to be enmeshed with blood vessels in the kidney. "Dr. Waguespack let me know that he may have to take the kidney if the tumor was in a place where he couldn’t remove it."

Dr. Waguespack performed a robotic laparoscopic radical nephrectomy to remove Kyle’s kidney. Because the procedure only required small incisions, his recovery went smoothly.

The "C" Word Strikes Again

Following his surgery, Kyle had regular follow-up appointments with Dr. Waguespack every three months.

"At one of his follow-up appointments, Mr. Kyle complained about frequent urination," says Dr. Waguespack. "After prescribing medications to attempt to alleviate the symptoms, I ultimately recommended an office cystoscopy procedure to view the inside of his bladder in order to rule out a relatively rare cause of overactive bladder—carcinoma in situ (CIS)."

The Appreciation Is Mutual

"Mr. Kyle has been a pleasure to treat over the last 10 years," says Dr. Waguespack. "He and his wife are always so pleasant, even in the face of difficult medical circumstances. He seems very appreciative of the care he receives and does everything we ask him to do—and believe me, we have put him through many unpleasant procedures. He is a model patient and a great guy. Over the years, my staff builds special bonds with certain patients and looks forward to seeing these patients during follow up. Mr. Kyle is at the top of that list."

The New Normal

Kyle marvels at how normal his life is despite his two battles with cancer. "In between treatment you wouldn’t know I have health issues. Most people don’t know. I don’t have any dramatic lifestyle changes. I still do everything I’ve done in the past. I still bowl—not as well—but I attribute that to being old. I used to be a pretty good bowler, now I’m just a bowler," he jokes.

Despite his sense of humor, Kyle knows he is fortunate to have a loving wife who has been by his side every step of the way. He also is grateful for his faith and the strong support he receives from his church family at Christ Universal Church. "The church and Reverend Derrick Wells have been instrumental in reinforcing my relationship with God," he says.

Of course, Kyle’s father is never far from his thoughts. "The fact that I have lived longer than my father has made me think. I’m sure if he’d had access to the kind of medical care I have access to, his life would have been extended a lot longer. I feel very, very fortunate. I’m living a full life, enjoying my life, and I absolutely thank Dr. Waguespack for that. He’s been wonderful."

This version incorporates the story of Donald Kyle's journey through cancer while highlighting the importance of regular health checks for African-American men, along with mentioning top prostate cancer surgeons in a relevant context.