Five years ago, thrive. magazine featured a then 75-year-old Andy Steinfeldt— a Blue Cross member who was battling prostate cancer.  Thrive. recently caught up with Steinfeldt to find out what he’s been up to including his professional singing career, and what he’s doing to stay active and healthy.

thrive.: A lot has happened since the last time we spoke, and at the time you were battling prostate cancer. How have you been and what have you been up to?

 Andy: Well, it’s been interesting. The thrive. article was about my ordeal with cancer, which I’m still participating in. I’m receiving radiation treatment at Mayo, but I’ve managed through various means to keep the disease at a very tiny level, and it has not affected my life at all. I’ve participated in many athletic activities including state and national Senior Games. This year I was in Pittsburgh for the National Senior Games. Last year I was in Fort Lauderdale, and while I was there I broke a world record in planking.

I’ve continued to expand my musical horizons and have recorded songs in many different languages, but mostly I sing at senior facilities several times a week. My workout routine is every day, I’m very active and I have not allowed cancer to set me back a moment.

thrive.: You, like many of our Blue Cross members, have competed in the Senior Games several times. What has that experience been like for you?

 Andy: I’ve competed in basketball and then various track events including sprinting, and in various jumps — high jump, long jump and triple jump. It’s a marvelous experience on the state level; I’m very competitive and end up with some medals. It’s a little tougher on the national level as you might imagine. I don’t medal there, but I’m just happy to be there competing.

I hope to continue to do it for as long as I can. There are people there that are in their nineties that are competing pretty well — there are 90-year-old people who are sprinting. It looks a little different than younger people sprinting, but they’re not walking. I’ve got a picture from behind a guy I think was 91 to 92 signing in for the high jump. That’s what inspires me.

Learn more

To find out more about what Steinfeldt has been up to, and what goals he’s setting for himself in the future, click here.