“Cool hair.”
Everywhere Leo and Brandy Nunes go, they hear such a comment.
Leo’s response to the interest and curiosity from the couple’s bright blue locks is usually, “Thanks. It’s for prostate cancer.”
People will then often ask who has prostate cancer that they know.
When Leo responds, “I do,” many are surprised, he says. “They think it’s a grandpa disease.”
But that’s mistake No. 1, the Nuneses tell anyone who’ll listen.
Since Leo was diagnosed three years ago while in his 40s, the couple have been clanging a loud warning bell about the deadly but somewhat hush-hush disease that can appear in younger men as well as aging seniors.
And they’ve succeeded in getting people to pay attention and support the cause.
“People wonder who are the weird guys with the blue hair,” Leo says. “But it works.”
The married couple, who have been together for 25 years, initially dyed their hair blue after Leo’s diagnosis in 2022, to mark September’s national recognition as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
They’ve been blue-headed ever since because they discovered their look — which for Leo also includes blue clothing, socks, shoes and accessories — is a great conversation-starter.
Leo and Brandy recently had a lengthy talk with a TSA agent at the airport, who has had several men in his family affected by prostate cancer.
And a recent trip to Costco yielded an exchange with someone at the store whose dad had prostate cancer. They’re not shy about telling people who are at risk how to get tested, what direct support is available and anything else.
“I thought if I were to have a chance of making an impact, I could go blue and be public about prostate cancer, or I could be private about it and not make a difference,” Leo says.
Despite the numbers — a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every two minutes and a man dies from it every 15 minutes in the U.S. — and that it’s the second most diagnosed cancer in men next to skin cancer and the second leading cancer death in men — prostate cancer is just not openly discussed or supported in the same way that breast cancer is, Leo and Brandy point out.
“People don’t like talking about stuff below the waist,” Leo says.
Which is unfortunate, the Nuneses say, because the survival rate is high — 99% — if it’s detected early and hasn’t spread. The odds decrease from there. The five-year survival rate for the stage that former President Joe Biden has is 38%, for example.
“This needs to be something that’s constantly in front of people,” Leo says. “For me, prostate cancer awareness is every day.”
Medically, improvements in detection and treatment have made this type of cancer more palatable and less scary, Leo attests. For example, presence can be detected through a blood test rather than the old rectal exam that’s often the butt of a joke.
And the condition does not necessarily mean the prostate must be removed, which can affect sexual performance and lead to incontinence.
In May, Leo had his third treatment of laser ablation with real-time imaging that targets cancer-ridden cells and leaves healthy cells alone.
The downtime is minimal and has resulted in optimistic outcomes, Leo says. Surgery is still in the cards for some cases, he says, but it’s not automatic.
This year, the Nuneses secured proclamations for September to be recognized by local and state elected officials for prostate cancer awareness.
They’ve also advocated in Washington, D.C., for more funding for free testing for low-income men and more programs for all.
“Prostate cancer should not be anything there’s stigma around or barriers,” Leo says.
The powerhouse health insurance brokers who own Nunes Partners are still riding the high of hosting a wildly successful No Cancer November Casino Night fundraiser held at COS City Hub event center to support cancer research, treatment and support.
Leo and Brandy set a goal of raising $20,000 this year, but pulled in $28,000 from 135 attendees and 19 business sponsors. That’s more than double from last year’s gala, which raised $10,000.
Two charities split the proceeds: the local Sue’s Gift that assists women diagnosed with gynecological cancers, and the national ZERO Prostate Cancer, which has online support groups and other help for men navigating the illness.
There’s no local organization that focuses on prostate cancer, so the Nuneses have decided it’s their philanthropic fate to build momentum for the cause.
They’ve started the Nunes Foundation with prostate cancer as the first of three pillars of health and human welfare, along with the environment and animals.
Over the past three years, they’ve raised more than $45,000 for cancer-busting organizations that provide early detection programs, financial assistance and critical resources for patients.
“We don’t have kids; we tried to have a family, but it just didn’t work out,” Brandy says. “This is the legacy we’re going to leave.”
“Cancer makes you go crazy a little bit,” says Leo, who has taken on a do-or-die attitude and lately has done several “crazy things” beyond dying his hair.
Admittedly non-athletic and definitely not a runner, Leo completed a half-marathon with little preparation but sheer determination to see how far he could push his body.
He’s since participated in other physical challenges to raise more money for ZERO Prostate Cancer, including running the Manitou Springs Incline for 30 consecutive days, which garnered $15,000 in donations.
He also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a group of 17 hikers from ZERO Prostate Cancer. His effort added nearly $9,000 in contributions, and he was the only prostate cancer survivor from Colorado to complete the ascent.
Another high-altitude climb is in sight for June in the Andes mountains, and 2027 looks like it’ll be Mount Everest.
“It’s nuts,” Brandy says, with a smile. She doesn’t accompany Leo on his quests to conquer mountains but does her best to stand by her man in his newfound passion.
“He’s like in this mindset that he’s going to do something, and he does,” Brandy says.
“I feel like if I can do extreme challenges, I can take out cancer,” Leo says. “It gives you the strength to know there’s a lot of harder things than pushing through disease.”
Perhaps somewhat strangely, but also with total clarity, cancer has opened doors the couple never imagined.
“People feel there’s nothing to live for and there’s no hope if you have cancer,” Brandy said. “For us, it’s been the thing that lights the fuel in the fire and sparks change.”
They think it’s better than living in silence.