Upon the advice of his eye doctor and some prodding from family, Roger Carlson, then age 53, went to his doctor to get a cholesterol test. “I felt fine,” he said. “When I went in, my doctor saw I turned 50 and ordered a PSA test for me.” That lucky series of events added up to surprising results — prostate cancer.

Carlson chose daVinci technology offered at St. Cloud Hospital, a minimally invasive technique with much quicker recovery and fewer side effects, to treat his cancer. “I did a lot of research before choosing the daVinci,” Carlson said.

After the surgery, Carlson had seven weeks of radiation and didn’t skip a beat. “I was done with radiation a week before Labor Day and that weekend took a 650 mile trip,” he said. “It didn’t slow me down.” His cancer experience was a bump in the road, but with advanced technology and comprehensive care, today Carlson is riding high.