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When Ben Mayer received his race bib for the January 2023 Chevron Houston Marathon, instead of writing his usual, ¡°Go, Ben, go,¡± he wrote the words, ¡°Cancer History¡± and drew a red line through them. 

¡°Just like the MD Anderson cancer strikethrough logo,¡± Ben says. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how good, how powerful it felt to do that.¡± 

Four months after completing prostate cancer treatment, Ben had accomplished one of his two goals.  

In December 2024, he completed the second one: resuming his status as a blood donor at .  

A watch-and-wait approach to prostate cancer treatment

Ben was diagnosed with stage II carcinoma of the prostate in October 2021. He scheduled an appointment with urologist and prostate cancer specialist

¡°Dr. Davis and his team were just incredible. Every time I walked in for a consult, lab work, even the day of surgery, I felt comfortable and relaxed,¡± Ben says. ¡°The nurses and doctors were prepared and professional, wait times were short. I¡¯ll always be glad that I went to MD Anderson.¡±&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Because Ben was only 54 at the time of his diagnosis and prostate cancer tends to grow slowly, Davis recommended taking a watch-and-wait approach rather than treating the cancer right away. ¡°It was more slow and steady wins the race,¡± Ben recalls.  

He could still live life fairly normally, continuing to run and be active with his wife and young daughter.  

Prostate cancer surgery, then a marathon

When Davis suggested scheduling surgery in October 2022, Ben was ready.  

¡°It¡¯s always in the back of your mind,¡± he says. ¡°You¡¯re always wondering, ¡®How long can I hold off?¡¯ I was ready to not have this hanging over my head anymore.¡± 

Ben had just had one question for Davis. "I asked him, ¡®If we schedule this for October, what are my chances of being fit enough to run by January?¡¯ And he answered, ¡®I don¡¯t see why not.¡¯¡± 

Ben recovered from the surgery relatively quickly, with no complications. 

¡°Everything pre, during and post-surgery was smooth, and I felt comfortable knowing I was in good hands,¡± he says. 

His training was limited ¡°nowhere near as rigorous¡± as it would¡¯ve normally been, he adds. But Ben was more motivated than ever.  

With a reminder of what he¡¯d been through on his marathon bib, Ben crossed the finish line of the 2023 Houston Marathon with a time of five hours and twenty-four minutes.  

It was a milestone for many reasons, but it also marked Ben¡¯s 25^th Houston Marathon finish.  

He patiently waited almost two years before reaching his next milestone. 

Becoming a platelet donor 

In October 2024, Ben received an MD Anderson Blood Bank email stating that his B+ blood type made him an ideal candidate for platelet donation.  

¡°I¡¯m finally two years out from prostate cancer surgery and have been told I can now donate blood. I¡¯m excited to do this again. I want to give back!¡± he replied. 

Until his cancer diagnosis, Ben had been a regular blood donor. Growing up, he saw his parents regularly give blood and realized it was a crucial way to support one¡¯s community.  

¡°I always donated blood; I always felt it was important simply because I was able to,¡± he recalls. ¡°I was bummed to get prostate cancer for all the obvious reasons, but I was really bummed that I couldn¡¯t donate blood.¡± 

Now, Ben says he can both pick up where he left off and start a new type of giving journey. 

Giving platelets is a marathon 

He researched platelet donation, noting the hour-and-a-half time commitment, but said the extra hour or so is a minor inconvenience compared to the good the donation will do. 

¡°However I can give back or help the most, that¡¯s what I want to do,¡± he says. ¡°Plus, the blood bank technicians make you feel comfortable and are very professional.¡±&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Since October, Ben has donated platelets twice. Doing good feels good, but it also reinforces the fact that his life is finally back to normal.  

¡°Running the marathon was like giving blood. It meant ¡®I beat this,¡¯¡± Ben says. ¡°I didn¡¯t care about my time or performance. There was never a more important reason to run. 

After what he¡¯s been through, he also knows there¡¯s never a more important reason to donate blood to MD Anderson Blood Bank. ¡°Everyone deserves to be able to run their race, to get back to living their life.¡± 

at MD Anderson Blood Bank.