Metro-east lawmaker says he has prostate cancer, urges men to get tested
State Rep. Charlie Meier released a message Monday that wasn’t about politics or state government issues.
It was a personal message: He is getting treatment for prostate cancer and he urges men over 50 to get a screening test like he did.
Meier, R-Okawville, will undergo radiation treatments early on weekday mornings at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon. He expects to have at least 28 sessions.
Under this schedule, he will be able to drive to Springfield after his treatment and continue attending sessions of the General Assembly.
“I’m moving forward,” he said in an interview with the Belleville News-Democrat.
Meier, who initially posted his statement on his website on Monday, said while he plans to continue working as a state representative, he will step down from his leadership position with the House Republicans.
The 65-year-old lawmaker represents the 109th House District and has constituents in Bond, Clinton, Madison, St. Clair and Washington counties.
“The good news is that this type of cancer is very treatable,” he wrote in his statement.
Screening tests
The prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test is the screening test that led to Meier’s diagnosis.
“Every year mine came back just as solid as a rock and this last time it had gone up,” he said.
After follow-up tests were conducted, he agreed to have the radiation treatments at St. Elizabeth’s.
The prostate is a gland the size of a chestnut that weighs about 1 ounce and is part of the male reproductive system, according to the federal government’s National Library of Medicine.
A sample of blood is taken and then it is checked for the level of PSA in the blood, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Meier said he did not have common symptoms associated with prostate cancer.
“I was shocked,” he said of his reaction to the test results. “Our family is very fortunate, we’ve not had a lot of cancer in our family.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists several symptoms of prostate cancer, including difficulty starting urination, pain or burning during urination, blood in the urine or semen and pain in the back hips or pelvis that doesn’t go away.
“If I did not have my routine blood test to measure my PSA levels, I would have never known anything was wrong,” Meier wrote in his announcement. “There is a stigma around prostate cancer among men, but it doesn’t have to be that way. My message to you is this: put down your pride and stay up-to-date on your regular health tests.
“If you are over the age of 50, you have a higher risk of prostate cancer and should be routinely checked, even if you do not show any of the symptoms.”
Meier said along with his radiation treatments for prostate cancer, he plans to improve his diet, get more sleep and keep a watch on the occasional Stag Beer he enjoys.
“It’s your health and you need to take care of yourself,” he said. “I want to stop it early and then move on.”
