9. Collin Powell
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, also a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army, underwent surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland in 2003 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Since then, he has become a vocal supporter of prostate cancer awareness and has devoted his time to the Prostate Conditions Education Council, which sponsors Prostate Cancer Awareness Week every September.
On his birthday in 2011, he posted this message to fans on Facebook: “Today was my 73rd birthday, and the most valuable gift I received was all the well-wishes from so many of you. Thank you. As one of you noted, I am a prostate cancer survivor and a spokesman for prevention. Men should have regular prostate examinations … Regular exams allowed me to deal with this problem early and make a full recovery.”