Jerry Tilis candidly says what he’s most grateful for about his care at Mount Sinai’s Comprehensive Cancer Center during his cancer journey is that he’s “still here. And I’m going to a nice dinner tonight with friends.”

As a prostate cancer survivor, his outlook on life is about enjoying his time here. That and staying on top of his doctor visits. Jerry didn’t set foot into a doctor’s office for 35 years before his cancer diagnosis. Looking back now, he realizes that wasn’t his best decision. “As time goes by, that behavior reinforces that the longer you don’t go, the more likely something bad is going to happen when you do go,” he says. By his logic, avoidance meant dodging bullets. In 2021, a bullet hit. He was diagnosed with COVID-19. “COVID saved my life. It forced me to go to the ER,” he says. That ER visit prompted him to get a doctor’s appointment.

That doctor’s appointment led to tests and a biopsy. Those results revealed that Jerry had cancer. From there, he entrusted Akshay Bhandari, MD, Co-Chief of the Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center, with his life. “Mount Sinai is a diamond. One of the things that helped me get through was getting my calls returned and getting questions answered,” he says. “It’s a new experience that you are constantly going through with different sensations. You have to call and be able to ask someone you trust.” One of the questions he asked Dr. Bhandari was about his experience. “I asked him how many of these procedures he had done. By 2021, it was over 2,000.” Jerry says that kind of experience combined with the hospital’s superb administration is why he looks to Mount Sinai for his medical needs — something he does regularly now.

“Once you start going regularly, you can’t wait to go back because you look forward to getting good news. And if you get bad news, you have time to get it right. Anything you might catch in three months will give you a running start to deal with it. If you wait three or four years, you might have to run from it,” he says.

His advice to anyone going through their cancer journey: “Don’t go to medical school on the internet. Don’t go down that rabbit hole. But do research from credible sources so you can have intelligent conversations with your doctor. If you have questions, go to a source you trust.” Jerry believes trust is foundational when facing medical difficulties. “Trusting your doctor is the best tranquilizer that will get you through a lot of this. Trusting your doctor is the only decision you have to make.”

Dr. Akshay Bhandari’s philosophy of care is built on trust, crucial to the healing process. “Building a relationship with patients is as crucial as the treatment itself. Trust is an essential component of healing,” Dr. Bhandari emphasizes. His approach is evident in his interactions with patients like Jerry Tilis, who have benefited from personalized treatment plans.

For Jerry, an octogenarian with prostate cancer, Dr. Bhandari’s guidance was pivotal. “Our thorough discussions helped Jerry make an informed choice to undergo surgery, leading to a successful recovery that speaks volumes about our personalized care approach,” Dr. Bhandari shares.