A Wife’s Persistence and Divine Intervention Lead to A Life-Saving Cancer Screening
A few years ago, Donald Dotson and his wife, Dana Ray-Dotson, MD, started noticing changes in his sleep routine. He was getting up more often during the night to use the restroom. His urine flow had changed. Nothing seemed urgent, but something did not seem right.
She urged him to get a prostate cancer screening. He kept putting it off. The licensed minister, certified chaplain, husband and father felt healthy. He walked regularly with his wife, played basketball with his teenage son and stayed active serving patients and families through his work as a hospice chaplain.
“I thought I was fine,” Dotson said. “I did not know I was walking around with cancer.”
Dotson said that while driving to an appointment one day, he clearly heard God tell him, “Go find a doctor!” And so he did, immediately.
In December 2024, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test revealed elevated levels. Additional testing showed cancer throughout his prostate. After working with Memorial Health specialists and undergoing additional biopsies, Dotson chose surgery in August 2025, followed by six weeks of radiation treatment.
Today, he is back to playing basketball, exercising and enjoying time with his family. He has also become an advocate for prostate cancer screenings.
Spreading the Word
Dotson, now 59, believes embarrassment and fear prevent many men from getting screened. He understands because those same feelings kept him from scheduling an appointment when his wife first suggested it.
“Do it now,” he said. “I do not want men to go through what I went through.”
His message carries extra weight because prostate cancer runs in his family. His father and several uncles were diagnosed with the disease, but he never expected he would face it himself.
Dotson recently shared his story at a pastors luncheon hosted by Decatur Memorial Hospital’s Community Health Collaborative. The event supports the “Pin a Brother” initiative, which partners with local churches to raise awareness about prostate cancer and connect men with free screenings.
The response has been strong. More than 1,000 prostate cancer awareness bags have been requested for distribution through local congregations, and pastors have begun inviting Dotson to speak directly to men’s groups.
After one presentation, a young man told Dotson he planned to get screened because of what he heard. Others asked where they could access free screenings.
For Dotson, those conversations are why he continues sharing his story.
His message is straightforward: Know your family history. Talk with a healthcare provider. And do not wait to get screened.
A simple appointment could make all the difference.
Area Prostate Cancer Screenings
September 18: Learn more about the free Sept. 18 Prostate Cancer Screening in Decatur.
September 30: Springfield Memorial Hospital will co-host a Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health Event, in collaboration with the SIU Health D.E.P.O.T.S. (Delivering Equity Places Outside Traditional Settings) and The Springfield Project, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at CAP 1908 – The Springfield Project, 1100 S. Grand Ave. E., in Springfield. The free community event is designed to raise awareness about prostate cancer and overall health, with a special focus on encouraging Black men to take proactive steps toward preventive care and routine screenings.