Hillsborough Dad Shares Story Of Survival From Prostate Cancer

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Sam Bahlawan, a husband, father of three, diver, golfer, sailor and cook, is sharing his story of his survival from prostate cancer so that others will learn from his experience.

One day, Bahlawan, 62, was "exercising, playing golf and going to beach and had lots of energy" and then all of a sudden it was like someone turned off his energy.

Born in Beirut, Bahlawan moved to Hillsborough about 20 years ago. He has been married for 29 years has three children and is very active. He cooks healthy meals and goes to the gym every morning before heading into the city to work in the jewelry business.

In 2017, one morning Bahlawan woke up and just didn’t have the energy to exercise.

Bahlawan stays on top of his health making sure to get a blood test every year. When he started to feel tired all the time, Bahlawan scheduled an earlier visit for a check up.

That’s when the doctor found his PSA level was at 19 – which is very high, and his weekly blood tests showed his PSA level continued to climb. A biopsy was ordered and as suspected prostate cancer was diagnosed at stage four.

As a result of his diagnosis, surgery was recommended.

“I have kids that are very young and a family and didn’t like what was proposed with surgery,” Bahlawan said.

Chemotherapy was also suggested but Bahlawan didn’t like the side effects. He instead saw an oncologist who recommended proton therapy. The therapy delivers only the amount of radiation dosage needed, is protective of vital organs and surrounding tissue, and allows patients to maintain a normal quality of life during treatment.

Bahlawan underwent the treatment at ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Somerset for five days a week for nine weeks.

“I didn’t feel a thing,” Bahlawan said. “It was seamless with no side effects.”

Now Bahlawan’s cancer is in remission and he is back to exercising and enjoying life with his family. But he urges other men to get checked regularly as well.

“Once you hit 50, you need to do a yearly physical to see if something is not right,” Bahlawan said. “Blood tests are very crucial at least once a year. If it wasn’t for that test and I ignored my energy levels, the cancer would’ve spread all over my body.”

(Image provided: Sam and his family in the USVI, July 2017, one month before his prostate cancer diagnosis.)

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