Who we are
Our Support Group is a friendly, voluntary association of men and women - men who have encountered prostate cancer, and their families and friends. Some of our men have undertaken treatment for prostate cancer, others are evaluating their treatment options.
The Group’s main aim is to provide information and support to these men and their families - from the man’s diagnosis to treatment and beyond. The Group does not provide individual medical advice.
Monthly presentations from guest speakers (mostly leading health professionals) provide information about prostate cancer, its treatment options and means of dealing with its impacts.
Interaction with those who have “been there” provides support to men, their families and friends who are facing the challenges of diagnosis, treatment and subsequent issues.
Friendliness, empathy and generosity of spirit are prominent features of the Group.
The Group was established in 1995 at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital and is affiliated with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. It maintains strong links with the Cancer Council of New South Wales.
The Group is organised and managed by trained leaders. All of them have an experience of prostate cancer and its treatment. They provide their time, resources and experiences on a voluntary basis. The Group is funded through donations and modest fund-raising activities. There is no membership fee.
Role of the group
Our principal role is to provide information and assistance to:
- men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and/or been treated for prostate cancer,
- the families and friends of these men,
- anyone with an interest in or concern about prostate health,
- men whose risk of getting prostate cancer is much higher than normal - because of their age or family history.
- promote awareness of prostate cancer within the broader community and the importance and benefits of early detection
- support the peak bodies which focus on research, awareness, support and advocacy for people impacted by prostate cancer :
- the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) and its network of affiliated support groups
Information and advice
When a man has indications of prostate cancer it usually comes as a nasty shock to him, his family and friends. When making decisions about treatment options, rehabilitation and gaining care, support and encouragement, there are benefits from discussing things with others who have “been there”. While the Group’s members do not provide individual medical advice, they can help the newly-diagnosed man, his partner and those concerned about his welfare to understand the options available. They can also provide insight about what may lie ahead after treatment. Through the presentations of the Group’s monthly guest speakers, most of whom are leading health professionals, members obtain up-to-date information on matters of importance to anyone impacted by prostate cancer (men, their families and friends) - and there is always opportunity for questions and answers from these expert professionals. Our Group’s members have informal opportunity to share their personal experiences over light refreshments at our regular monthly meetings. However, immediate concerns can be discussed at any reasonable time by contacting one of the Group’s trained volunteer leaders by phone or e-mail. (click here for their contact details)
The good news
There is strong evidence that, in many cases, treatment of prostate cancer can result in cure or long-term remission, especially when prostate cancer is detected early. Early detection offers the best possibility of a completely effective treatment with minimal side-effects. However, even if detection is not early in the cancer’s development, there are treatments which can control many of the symptoms and problems of prostate cancer, enabling an enjoyable and useful life for many years.
Regular monthly meetings
The Group meets late in the afternoon on the 3rd Thursday of each month except December and January. (click here for meeting details) At these meetings, wide-ranging topics are discussed in an informal, friendly atmosphere. People attending include men who have undergone various treatments for prostate cancer, and many partners. They are willing to discuss their experiences and offer support during the diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation phases.
At each meeting a specialist guest speaker gives a talk on a topic related to prostate cancer. Most speakers are leading health professionals - medical practitioners, specialists, therapists, nurses etc.
Information from these meetings complements the personal attention that a prostate cancer patient receives from his own health professionals. At the beginning of each meeting, the Group offers some coffee, tea and modest finger-food, providing a relaxed informal opportunity to network with people who can share information about their experiences. Further, the Group’s trained volunteer leaders have wide-ranging networks and are well-equipped to source extra information on request. Please just “turn up” at any meeting. All (including partners/carers) are always welcome.
Awareness of prostate cancer
In Australia, about 20,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and about 3,300 will die from it. Prostate cancer usually has no symptoms. On reaching age 40, men should talk to their GP about PSA monitoring (Prostate Specific Antigen) and the DRE (Digital Rectal Examination). These two simple tests increase the chance of detecting prostate cancer early, thereby maximising the prospect of completely effective treatment.
The Group seeks opportunities to promote awareness of prostate cancer, its diagnosis and treatment.
Information sources
While a man’s GP and specialist urologist should be his primary sources of information about prostate cancer, there are many supplementary sources about its diagnosis, treatment and after-treatment care. These include publications in print and audio-visual format, and there are many organisations, service agencies and friendly associations that provide information, services and support.
Caution: Some “sources” in popular public arenas can include information that is little more than rumour, wishful thinking or “quackery”, so we need discernment to know what is soundly-based information. The Group’s trained volunteer leaders can assist in pointing to reliable sources. The Group maintains a small library of selected publications that people can borrow.
Contact us
If you would like more information about the Group, please contact one of our trained volunteer leaders by e-mail or phone (click here for leaders’ contact details) or simply come along to one of our regular monthly meetings (click here for meeting details) .
General Site Disclaimer
This web site provides information about the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, and refers to various types and sources of information. The Group's trained volunteer leaders make genuine and ongoing efforts to ensure the accuracy and usefulness of this information, including its conclusions and recommendations. However, some information (such as may appear in popular electronic media) is often changed by its producers without the changes coming to the attention of the Group’s leaders. Further, the leaders do not have the medical credentials appropriate for a professional medical evaluation.
The Group’s trained volunteer leaders appreciate that individual cases of prostate cancer vary considerably, so no single treatment option can be claimed as “the best” for all cases. Recommendations presented for some cases of prostate cancer may not be applicable to others. While the information on this site should be of interest, it is essential that a man obtains individual professional advice from his own GP, specialists and other health professionals.
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