Terrance Jones was deep into a Saturday morning Bible study on Zoom when the phone rang and his life changed forever.
The Chicago-based artist and Northwestern Medicine employee was hit with crushing news: He had prostate cancer at just 47 years old. The real kicker? He had zero symptoms.
“It shocked me,” said Jones, who didn’t know at the time that Black men are 70% to 110% more likely to develop prostate cancer than their White peers — and twice as likely to die from the disease.
A simple test with a life-changing result
In August 2022, Jones walked into his doctor’s office for a routine wellness check, feeling good aside from a few extra pounds. He was surprised when she recommended he get screened for prostate cancer.
“At the time, I hadn’t heard much about the increased risk for Black men,” Jones said. “I thought prostate cancer was something older men mainly dealt with.”
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that most men begin talking with their doctors about prostate cancer screenings at age 55. But studies suggest that Black men should start having those conversations about a decade earlier because of their elevated risk.
While the exact reasons for this disparity are still being investigated, research points to a combination of factors — including genetic differences, hormone levels, environmental exposures and lifestyle influences — that may contribute to the increased incidence among Black men.
Being proactive about screening is critical, as prostate cancer grows slowly and many men show no symptoms until it’s in advanced stages, Dr. Adam Murphy, a urologist at Northwestern Medicine, told The Post.
“When people come in with symptoms, it’s usually things like blood in the urine or difficulty urinating, which means that you have a large tumor or cancer spread,” he said. “That makes it less curable.”
Initially, Jones brushed off his doctor’s suggestion, promising to come back another day for screening. But she was insistent: If the simple blood test was available down the hall, why not just get it out of the way?
“I hesitated because of something that I think happens with a lot of guys where we feel like we’re Superman, like nothing is going to happen,” Jones reflected. “But that wasn’t the case.”
Ultimately, Jones gave in and got the blood test. When his doctor’s number lit up his phone screen days later, he knew something was wrong.
“They don’t always call, so that sort of alarmed me,” Jones said. “I was driving to work and I had to pull over.”
The test revealed elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in his blood — a possible red flag for cancer. His doctor ordered an MRI, which revealed a mass in his prostate. Surgeons quickly performed a biopsy, confirming the worst.
“I was told at the time it was Grade 6, but later I found out that it was Grade 7,” said Jones, who had gotten married shortly before his diagnosis. “I was afraid, but I am a very prayerful person, and I believe that God is always at work.”
Choosing the right path
Jones had several options for the road ahead.
One was watchful waiting, where doctors monitor the cancer closely without actively intervening to avoid the potential side effects that can accompany aggressive cancer treatments.
This approach is often recommended for men with localized cancer that’s unlikely to spread quickly, older men with limited life expectancy, or those with other health conditions that could worsen with treatment.
“People who have localized cancer often can get 10 years without doing anything,” Murphy said.
Then there’s active surveillance, which delays treatment but includes regular monitoring to see if the cancer progresses, at which point doctors would intervene.
Or Jones could opt for surgery or radiation. He chose a prostatectomy, a procedure that removed part of his prostate gland and seminal vesicles, which produce most of the fluid in semen.
Once highly invasive with side effects like erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, recent technological advances have made the procedure less taxing, leading to better outcomes for patients.
Today, minimally invasive methods like robotic prostatectomies are becoming the standard, with smaller incisions, less blood loss and less pain compared to traditional open surgery.
Doctors have also refined nerve-sparing techniques to help preserve erectile function and improved methods for reconstructing the urinary tract, which can prevent complications like incontinence.
“People can have great outcomes in terms of sexual and urinary function if they’re treated by an experienced surgeon,” Murphy said.
While some might be wary of a robot-assisted surgery, Jones wasn’t phased.
“I’ve worked at Northwestern for 22 years and I’ve seen so much innovation,” he said. “I felt excited about the robot.”
The road to recovery and a new lease on life
When Jones woke up in a recovery room after surgery in May 2023, he was greeted by a flurry of doctors.
“They seemed very excited to tell me they got all the cancer,” Jones recalled, smiling. “I was walking the same day.”
Though he had to wear a catheter for about a week after surgery, he considers it a small price to pay for peace of mind and a clean bill of health.
It took about eight weeks to fully recover at home, during which time Jones couldn’t lift much or walk long distances. He also couldn’t drive in the early days.
To pass the time while recuperating, Jones turned to something he’s leaned his entire life: art.
“It always brings me to a really calm space where I can quiet my thoughts about things that are going on in the world,” he said.
Though Jones always found his signature swirly style relaxing and therapeutic, he was amazed to discover that doctors across the country recommend it to their patients for the same reasons.
Known as “neurographic art,” this meditative art therapy technique involves creating abstract, flowing lines and shapes that resemble neural pathways. It’s designed to stimulate positive change within the artist, encouraging mindfulness, self-expression and relaxation.
Jones, now 49, has now been cancer-free for nearly two years. While he experienced some urinary urgency for about a month after surgery, he said the prostatectomy didn’t significantly alter his day-to-day life.
With the help of exercises like Kegels and advice from his doctors — including using a massage gun on his thighs to stimulate blood flow — Jones said he has maintained his sexual function and bladder control.
The biggest impact of his cancer journey has been the new outlook it gave him on life.
“I just want to help people,” Jones said. He’s made it his mission to raise awareness about prostate cancer and the importance of screenings, sharing his message with family, friends and even strangers.
He’s especially focused on reaching Black men, one in six of whom will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.
“I think a lot of Black men are worried about their jobs, their kids and providing for their families, but you can’t take care of those things if you’re sick,” Jones said. “You have to think about yourself, because when you do, it makes the situations of everyone around you better. Self love is important.”
Prostate cancer is considered highly treatable, with more than 98% of men surviving 10 years or more when the disease is diagnosed and treated early, according to Johns Hopkins.
However, factors like stigma, shame and inconsistent screenings often delay detection, making it the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men. In fact, about 1 in 44 will die from the disease.
In 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates that 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the US, along with 35,770 deaths.
