Rick’s story: How prostate cancer brought a new chance to teach

This blog was published in collaboration with Salud America. Read more stories inspiring people to drive healthy changes for Latino and all people on their website.

Rick Alvarado has always prioritized education.

As a child, the San Antonio-area resident remembers often “playing school” with his neighborhood friends and many of his 10 siblings.

“I always knew from very young that I [wanted] to be a teacher,” said Rick.

Following in his older brother’s footsteps, Rick would do just that, spending 38 years teaching K-12 and serving in other roles like assistant principal, principal, interim superintendent, and assistant superintendent. He retired a few years ago.

But Rick’s life would change on January 7, 2017, when he was diagnosed with stage 2 Prostatakrebs.

Rick’s cancer diagnosis

Prior to his diagnosis, Rick’s doctor told him he had high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

PSA tests measure the level of PSA in the blood, including:

• Screening for prostate cancer in men who do not have symptoms of the disease.
• Following up on prostate symptoms, such as painful or frequent urination, blood in urine or semen, and pelvic and/or back pain.
• Monitoring the progression of prostate cancer in men who have already been diagnosed with the disease.

Rick recalls that he knew something was off after being told that the doctor scheduled a later appointment with him for a consultation.

“[The doctor] takes me to his office, and he and he just tells me, ‘You have prostate cancer.’ And I heard nothing after that,” he said.

Rick’s treatment and next steps

During his first appointment, Rick immediately connected with his doctor.

“When I met him, he just had this demeanor about him. He had the same faith, there was a spiritual connection that was really important to me, aside from just the knowledge that he has a urologic oncologist,” he said.

Rick’s experience is one providers should strive to replicate—especially in light of findings from the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Früherkennungsumfrage 2025, which revealed one in seven adults who are not up to date on one or more of their cancer screenings claim they aren’t up to date because they are skeptical of the health care system. This underscores an opportunity for health care providers to build trust through proactive communication, personalized engagement and consistent follow-up.

At the appointment, Rick and his doctor discussed the next steps and prostate cancer treatment options.

“The therapy that [Rick’s doctor] recommended to me was surveillance for about a year and a half, I think. And so, I did my PSA every three months, and I saw him every three months,” he said.

Some prostate cancers grow very slowly and do not require immediate treatment.

In these cases, you and your health care provider may decide on “active surveillance” (sometimes called “watchful waiting”) with regular follow-ups, usually every three to six months. This option should be open to reassessment, as your condition or concerns may change.

Rick continued his active surveillance for a year and half as he continued to work.

LESEN SIE AUCH | Why ESPN legend Adrian Wojnarowski decided on active surveillance following his prostate cancer diagnosis.

In May 2020, Rick got news that his prostate cancer was more aggressive.

Three months later, he had surgery to remove the cancer.

“Through all that, that fall I was still working, and so I decided to retire from my employment because [Alvarado’s doctor] had mentioned something to me about the importance of taking care of self,” Rick said.

Experiencing cancer and going through the process opened his eyes to the importance of his health.

“I am now hypersensitive to making sure I keep my appointments, and I ask the doctor questions,” Rick said.

He also spoke of having good, open communication with doctors and providers to ensure patients understand their situation.

“Every time I had a question, and I never felt rushed when I went to go see [Alvarado’s doctor] and I think that’s important for the patient to never feel rushed or that they’re a number,” Rick said.

Rick’s support and patient leadership

As a former teacher, it comes easy for Rick to care about other people.

He never hesitates to use his prostate cancer journey to help other people prioritize their health and get routine cancer screenings.

Serving as a leader for the health of his loved ones, Rick recalls how he accompanied a friend to a doctor’s appointment to help them speak up and communicate with their doctor.

“There are still so many people who I would imagine we’re still missing. They don’t have outlets, they don’t have resources, or they don’t have a support system that can help guide them and even take them to appointments,” Rick said.

Rick isn’t only helping his family, either.

He volunteered to participate in the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. The study explores the factors that mark the Hispanic/Latino cancer survivorship journey in South Texas, in hopes of finding ways to improve quality of life.

“I wanted to be able to help people, other men, especially, understand that it’s not a bad thing. It shouldn’t be something you’re ashamed of,” Rick said.

The importance of screening and prevention for all

Cancer prevention and early detection resources are crucial when it comes to taking charge of one’s health, Rick said.

“The earlier you get diagnosed, the more meaningful interventions can be taken, and you can actually…have a better experience with it, as opposed to when it’s too late,” he said.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation provides several screening and prevention resources, including a cancer Vorführungsquiz Und screenings overview chart.

Through the Foundation’s Früherkennung = bessere Ergebnisse initiative, additional information like bilingual materials, free and low-cost cancer screening resources, and other educational tools are available at preventcancer.org/resources.

Rick urges people to take initiative for their own health by getting routine check-ups and screenings, because it not only benefits themselves, but also their loved ones.

“You have a wife, you have kids, you have brothers and sisters, cousins and uncles, parents who really care for you and love you,” Rick said.