‘I didn’t want cancer to define me’: Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder credits CyberKnife with saving his life

Andy Ryder was confirming last-minute details with his wife prior to their trip to Palm Springs. They were flying out the next day for a week-long respite to replace the gloomy and cold Washington Spring with much-needed California sunshine and warmth.

While on speakerphone, Andy received a notification saying his test results were ready to view. The blood rushed to his head as a feeling of panic overwhelmed him. His suspicions were confirmed when he opened his email and read the words no one ever wants to see: “You have cancer.”

Diagnosed with prostate cancer at the way too early age of 48, Andy didn’t know what to think. Moreover, he didn’t want “cancer patient” to define him. Andy Ryder is the city of Lacey’s longest-serving mayor, in office since 2014 and currently serving his sixth term. He’s also the longest-serving current mayor in the state of Washington. Additionally, Andy is a business owner, husband, and incredibly active in his community.

After digesting the news with his family, Andy’s mind immediately went to treatment. His primary care physician referred him to several specialists and set up meetings. Andy and his wife attended the appointments and took stock of their options: surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy.

The doctors he met with highly recommended surgery, but that didn’t sit well with Andy and his wife. They thought surgery to be incredibly invasive, painful, and with a long recovery time. After prostate surgery, patients are required to wear a catheter, which can be incredibly uncomfortable. There was also the threat of permanent damage to nearby vital nerves, negatively affecting urinary and sexual function.

Other options required considerable treatment time and recovery. Having a busy schedule with what amounted to be two full-time jobs, being out of commission for several months was a non-starter.

Andy and his wife didn’t feel any of the treatments were the right one, and there was another factor in the equation—they failed to create a strong connection with the care teams and physicians they met. Treatment for cancer, specifically prostate cancer, is a very delicate and personal matter. Forging a strong connection and relationship with the treatment care team was an unchecked box. Back to square one and feeling frustrated about the process, Andy gained optimism from a familiar source.

Lacey mayor hears about Swedish Cyberknife on Seattle Sports

A lifelong Seattle sports fan and Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, and Sonics season ticket holder, Andy was listening to his favorite radio station (Seattle Sports) when he heard the familiar and trusted voice of former Seahawk and afternoon drive radio host Dave Wyman describe a revolutionary treatment for prostate cancer.

Andy turned up the volume, “Five-day treatment course with each session lasting less than an hour. The treatments are non-invasive and have far less side effects compared with other treatment options. Additionally, this technologically advanced treatment precisely targets only the cancer cells while sparing nearby organs, nerves, and tissue. The treatment is CyberKnife and is available right here in Seattle at Swedish.”

A rush of optimism overcame Andy. Not only did a treatment option exist that quelled his fears, but it was endorsed by a person he trusted from a reputable media source. Andy immediately got in touch with Swedish CyberKnife to see if the treatment was too good to be true.

Finding the right doctor

Dr. Daniel Landis spends most of his evenings like virtually every parent in western Washington, taking turns with his wife, shuttling their kids around from school to activities. His day job is treating cancer, and he’s exceptional at it. Harvard-educated, Dr. Landis earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington, studying resistance to chemotherapy in cancer treatment. He’s received the Seattle Top Doctor Award more times than he’d humbly admit and is a 2024 Seattle Magazine and Seattle Met Magazine Top Doc Award winner. Dr. Landis is just one of several accomplished physicians at Swedish CyberKnife.

Andy first met Dr. Landis during a Zoom consultation. Andy was taken aback by Dr. Landis not pushing a treatment on him like he had experienced with other doctors. Instead, Dr. Landis patiently answered every one of Andy’s questions. It was clear Dr. Landis was not only an expert in prostate cancer and treatment but also had a tremendous bedside manner. It became clear that Swedish CyberKnife was the right treatment Andy and his wife were searching for, and this was the care and relationship he was seeking.

Going through the week-long treatment

Andy scheduled treatment to begin in September 2024 during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. He selected a week, Monday to Friday, for his five consecutive treatments. He could have commuted each day, but decided to stay in Seattle with his wife and make a week out of it. After such a stressful and uncertain time in his life, Andy was so relieved and excited for his treatment that he wanted to have fun with it. He scootered to the Swedish campus each day and wore funny outfits. Treatments consisted of lying down for about 45 minutes while the robotic arm seemingly hovered above him and rid him of his prostate cancer. Andy listened to music and even took a quick nap. By the time Friday came around, he couldn’t believe it would be the end of the major portion of his treatment. He felt sad saying goodbye to the team at Swedish CyberKnife and Dr. Landis.

Immediately after treatment, Andy felt tired but reported no side effects. Two weeks after his treatment commenced, Lacey’s sister city in Poland sent a large delegation to visit. Andy spent the entire week with the party, showing them around, and attending functions. The delegation from Minsk Mazowiecki could not believe that just two weeks prior, he was undergoing prostate cancer treatment. Had Andy chosen any other treatment option, he does not believe he would have been able to fulfill this very important obligation.

Lacey mayor celebrates being cancer free after using CyberKnife

Andy is cancer-free. He carries the youthful exuberance of a man half his age. More importantly, he carries a perspective that can change and save lives. He’s proud of his prostate cancer treatment and encourages any adult male who will listen to get their PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) levels checked annually. A simple blood test is all it takes. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in males. On average, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

If diagnosed with prostate cancer, Andy recommends doing research with your family and care team about treatment options. Based on his experience, he strongly recommends to begin by scheduling a consultation with Swedish CyberKnife.

To learn more about CyberKnife, visit Swedish’s website or call 206-320-7130.

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