Omaha cyclist turns prostate cancer diagnosis into message of hope for other men

A well-known Omaha cyclist and Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center patient is turning his cancer diagnosis into a message of hope for other men.

John Gibilisco has ridden his bike through Omaha winters, summers, rain and snow for years, turning it into a YouTube channel called Pedaling Past 60. This year, the ride took on new meaning at a doctor’s appointment.

“I was picking up my bike helmet and getting ready to go and there was a tap on the door. And he came back in and he said, ‘John, do you want me to check your PSA level?’ ... Thank God he asked that question,” he said.

The question led to a prostate cancer diagnosis and a decision to keep his camera rolling.

“If I can help another guy understand, talk to his doctor, understand what the PSA is, and just be more aware of his own health, then I thought, these are stories that are worth telling,” Gibilisco said.

Five days a week for weeks, Gibilisco went to Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center for radiation treatment. His doctor says his outlook made a difference.

“John comes in with a positive attitude every time. He’s such a huge inspiration to all of us... I think that made a huge difference for John,” said Dr. Yoseful Haque, a radiation oncologist with Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center.

WOWT: Omaha cyclist turns prostate cancer diagnosis into message of hope for other men