“Motorcycles don’t go backwards. If you stop moving, you fall over. As long as you’re moving forward, you’ll figure it out.”

Some people live through things that most of us couldn’t imagine surviving. Glenn Versteegen is one of those people. But more than just surviving, Glenn has become a powerful advocate for men’s health—both mental and physical—and is raising awareness through The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. His journey hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been fueled by one simple mantra: just keep moving forward.

Just two and a half years ago, Glenn was told he had prostate cancer. The catch? He didn’t know it; it was found while being assessed for a heart and kidney transplant that he critically needed. 

Initially, the outlook was grim. He was sent to the oncology department at The Alfred hospital, where the response was stark. “They said they wouldn’t treat either condition,” he says. “It felt like sitting in a room with an old guy who didn’t want to even try.” After being told to make the best with what he’s got, Glenn did exactly that – just not in the way the oncologist intended.

But instead of giving up, Glenn sought a second opinion—and that’s when the tide began to turn. He got in front of a team at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Their response?

“F* it, let’s give it a go.”**

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has been one of the many research and treatment centres that have received funding through the efforts of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to help men get the care and treatment they need.

That willingness to try made all the difference. With a successful cancer prognosis finally behind him, Glenn then returned to The Alfred to be reassessed for his transplant. Previously the guidelines from the hospital required a cancer free diagnosis for at least five years before transplant so the outcome remained uncertain. Again, Glenn pushed and advocated his case with the support of his medical teams at The Alfred, and earlier this year received a heart and kidney transplant despite the hospital’s earlier requirements for post cancer transplants.

Now, with a new heart and kidney, Glenn is living proof that hope, advocacy, and persistence matter.

“I’ve learned doctors are human too. You can ask questions. You have to.”

His health journey spans more than three decades—two strokes, a kidney transplant 24 years ago, and countless battles in between. Through it all, Glenn has remained mentally strong, though he admits even that takes work.

“I don’t think I’m special,” he says. “But I’ve been through so much that staying positive is like a habit now. It’s just how I do it.”

He’s candid about the mental weight of survival too. “There’s an element of guilt. I don’t know why I was so lucky and others weren’t. If I can convince just a few people this is worth fighting for, then I’ve done something.”

Glenn’s energy comes from momentum—“Just keep swimming,” he says, borrowing from Finding Nemo’s Dory. “If you stop moving, you fall over. Motorcycles don’t go backwards.”

Though he doesn’t ride anymore—choosing safety for himself and his family—he still channels the spirit of the ride. He’s out there supporting causes that matter: raising awareness for prostate cancer and men’s mental health through The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, encouraging men to talk, to check in, and to never give up.

“If you get knocked back, you never know when your fortunes will change. I just needed someone to say yes—someone to open the door. I refused to accept that it wouldn’t happen.”

For Glenn, life has been a series of hard roads, but he’s always found a way to move forward.