7. John Kerry

With a history of prostate cancer in the family, John Kerry was diagnosed with the disease in 2002. At the time, the Secretary of State was a 59-year-old U.S. senator in the middle of a presidential campaign. His father had died from prostate cancer at the age of 85 and John Kerry decided to be treated by undergoing surgery. Following the treatment, John Kerry engaged in a healthier life-style with the help of his wife Teresa.

“I was diagnosed and treated as I was crisscrossing the country running for President. So overnight, I had to put the brakes on and put my health first, halting my travel and speaking schedule. I was dead tired for weeks. But I got better, got back on the trail and picked up where I left off. I’m very proud of that. I figured I could either let this thing stop things I’d dreamed of or I could prove it wrong, and I tried my best to prove cancer wrong,” stated Kerry in an interview with Coping With Cancer magazine.

8. Mandy Patinkin

Mandy Patinkin is a well-recognized actor and singer, known for roles like Montoya in The Princess Bride, Saul Berenson in Homeland, and the Yiddish language album Mamaloshen. At the age of 51, Mandy Patinkin was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His father was roughly the same age when he died of pancreatic cancer. The actor, however, fought and won his battle against cancer. After being treated with radical prostatectomy, Patinkin made a full recovery and for a while became a vegan.

“Ever since I got cancer and went through the surgery and recovered. I’ve realized that aside from my wife and children, cancer was the greatest gift I was ever given,” Patinkin said in an interview with Coping With Cancer magazine. “I always appreciated my life, my wife, my kids, my music, the fact that I get to do what I love. But I took my life for granted. I would say I didn’t, but I did. I was kidding myself. And after cancer, every day, including this second while I am talking to you, is precious to me – every sunrise and sunset, every walk in the park, every visit with my children, every time I hold my wife, every time I get to perform.”

9. Nelson Mandela

Former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela was also a victim of prostate cancer. The diagnosis was made public in 2001 after his physicians found high protein levels in his blood – a possible indicator of prostate cancer. Following the discovery, they confirmed there was a microscopic tumor in a subsequent examination. Mandela retired as President in 1999 but continued actively working as the diagnosis was considered normal for his age. He died in 2013 from a respiratory infection.

Nelson Mandela was a political prisoner for 27 years and during that time, he had prostate surgery to remove tumors that were proven benign. Mandela’s spokeswoman, Zelda la Grange, said in 2001 that the condition was not serious and was common among many men his age. She added that regardless of the disease, Mandela’s health “remains excellent and he will be able to maintain most of his local and overseas commitments as he has done in the past.”