Ken Griffey Sr.’s four uncles died of prostate cancer. It’s a stunningly tragic familial statistic, revealed by a man whose lineage is legendary.
Ken Griffey Sr. was diagnosed with prostate cancer himself in 2006 and recovered from it, while his son, who was nicknamed “The Natural,” slammed baseball after baseball into the stands, and now the MLB legend and his Hall of Famer son, Ken Griffey Jr., are speaking out about men’s health.
They are on a mission to share their family’s story in the hopes it will prompt other men to get tested for prostate cancer, which Griffey Sr. refers to as a “silent killer.” They’ve banded together with Depend to spread their prostate cancer testing message for Prostate Cancer Awareness month in September. The quiet bond of the two Griffeys is also a testament to the power of fatherhood (they were the first father and son to appear in a Major League Baseball lineup together).
Ken Griffey Sr. Says That He Had No Symptoms When He Discovered His Prostate Cancer
The father told Men’s Journal that he didn’t have any symptoms or pain when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He sought testing at the urging of his mother because “I had lost four uncles, so my mother was telling me to get checked.”
(Photo by Jamea Beavers/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Other men, though, don’t all have that person pushing them to get tested, so he’s trying to be that voice; Griffey Sr. thinks that men hesitate to speak about their health, especially a topic as sensitive as prostate cancer.
“The situation is, I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” Ken Griffey Sr. matter-of-factly revealed to Men’s Journal, in a Zoom interview alongside his son.
He urged men to get tested, saying that the chances of survival improve dramatically with early diagnosis. “There is a 99 percent chance of survival,” if the cancer is caught early enough, Griffey Sr. said, but “men will not talk about it at all.”
John Hopkins Medicine confirms this point: “In general, the earlier prostate cancer is caught, the more likely it is for a man to get successful treatment and remain disease-free.” If prostate cancer is caught early, the site says, the “5-year relative survival rate” is nearly 100 percent.
“Five years after diagnosis, the average prostate cancer patient is about as likely as a man without prostate cancer to still be living.” But the survival rate plummets to 28 percent if the cancer is not detected early, according to John Hopkins.
Griffey Sr. believes that many men find the topic “embarrassing” and shut down, but he wanted to share his family’s story in the hopes that by speaking out himself, it will encourage other men to be comfortable doing so.
Ken Griffey Jr. Was Worried ‘Sick’ by the Diagnosis, His Dad Says
Griffey Sr. revealed to Men’s Journal that Jr.’s mom was also diagnosed with cancer, of the colon, at the same time that doctors discovered the father’s prostate cancer.
“He was worried sick. He couldn’t swing the bat. He was worried about both of us,” he said.
“It was tough on him. He was playing.” At the time of his dad’s diagnosis at age 56, Griffey Jr. was playing for the Cincinnati Reds.
Griffey Jr.’s prowess on the baseball field is the stuff of legend – 630 home runs, 13 All-Star Game selections, 10 Gold Glove Awards, and seven Silver Slugger Awards, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
(Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The dad had his own impressive MLB career. Sr. “made three National League All-Star teams, in 1976, 1977, and 1980, and won two World Series,” according to the Hall of Fame.
But it wasn’t baseball they wanted to talk about the other day.
Griffey Sr. had another friend who was diagnosed with prostate cancer. By the time he went to see a doctor, it was “too late.” Griffey Sr. thinks men avoid getting checked for prostate cancer because they are worried about “sexual prowess.”
“I was at a softball game with a bunch of my friends at one time, and eight of us had it,” he said of the disease.
Griffey Jr. revealed, “As we got older, he started to open up about our health..He started opening up about my great uncles.” He said his father was “not afraid” to share stories, and now the entire family has “these deep discussions.”
Ken Griffey Jr. praised his father for the bond he has with his grandkids today as well.
He believes that men should throw the “tough guy routine out the window and take care of their health.
“One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer – and my dad was one of them. That makes this deeply personal for me,” added Griffey Jr., in a press release from Depend. “I want people to understand that a simple blood test can make all the difference. Detecting prostate cancer early gives men more options for treatment, with a better chance of success, so I strongly encourage men to talk to their doctor about getting screened.”
