Your browser does not support iframes .
As a singer, guitarist, drummer and all around entertainment guru, Detroit native Wayne Smith has traveled the world and seen it all. His music career began at an early age, when he got his hands on a pair of drum sticks and realized he had a natural ability for rhythm. Sensing it was his calling, Wayne studied percussion in junior high and high school and joined a local band after graduation. “Shortly after joining the band, we realized we needed a singer,” he recalled. “No one could sing very well, so I took it upon myself and started singing!”
And so began his professional career as a musician. Wayne spent the next thirty or so years performing all over the country; he even spent a year in the Caribbean island of Aruba as the lead in a Vegas-style show at a five star international resort.
It was actually during one of his road trips in his twenties that his experience with prostate cancer began. He called home one day and got the news – his father had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Recognizing the link between family history and prostate cancer, Wayne began closely monitoring his health and getting his PSA screenings regularly.
He eventually moved to the Valley and continued his career in various areas of the entertainment industry, all the while continuing his diligent monitoring of his PSA levels. It was over the last few years that they began to gradually rise, and finally in 2010 it got to the point where it became a real concern. At his doctor’s advice, Wayne had a biopsy performed and his longtime fear came true – it was positive for prostate cancer.
After researching his options, he chose to have a radical prostatectomy performed using the da Vinci surgical system with Scottsdale Healthcare urologist Farshid Sadeghi, MD. “Through my research I found that Dr. Sadeghi was very skilled and highly experienced in using the da Vinci robot for this procedure,” he added. “In addition, he had an excellent bedside manner and was extremely thorough. He made me feel very comfortable and confident in my decision.”
Wayne had his surgery on August 2, 2011 and cannot say enough about how positive his experience at Scottsdale Healthcare was. “There’s a control freak in most of us men,” he laughed. “And being in a hospital can make you feel very threatened; you feel completely out of control. But from the moment I walked in the door to check-in before my surgery, I felt at ease. Every single person I encountered took the time to explain everything to me and ease my fears. It was just an outstanding experience.”
Wayne is now looking forward to getting back to his cancer-free life. He no longer performs his music professionally, but between his love for hiking, jogging, his wife, their four children, three grandchildren and of course, his passion for music, he has plenty to keep him busy. “I am just focusing on the things that make me happy. After all, that’s what life is really all about.”