Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

The Perth father-of-three was diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 44 and underwent a robotic prostatectomy.

“I had no symptoms, but prostate cancer runs in my family, my dad and uncle were both diagnosed. My mum asked me to get my prostate levels checked, and after quite a bit of nagging, I went to my GP and got the test. We decided to just keep an eye on it. It was a horrible time for us, it was the worst feeling … not knowing. I had a tumour inside my body, could I potentially die? There were many sleepless nights and worry. About five months later my PSA readings went through the roof – from a 3 to a 7, which is what you might find in a 70-year-old, as levels increase with age. For men my age, the average PSA is usually between 0 and 2.5.

“I wish I’d reached out more for support at the time. We were very private about it all and didn’t really tell anyone other than my parents and my wife’s mum. Looking back, it would have been better to have shared it with close friends and family, because I bottled up a lot of my feelings. We did tell our kids, who were eight, 12, and 14 at the time. They knew it was cancer, but we said we weren’t too worried about it as we were getting good medical advice. We tried to keep it as open and honest as we could, we didn’t want to worry them.

“At point of diagnosis the biopsy found the tumour was very small, at just .003cm, but when I went in for surgery they found another massive tumour, somewhere between 1-3cm. My surgeon said I had dodged a bullet – it was still contained within my prostate and hadn’t spread.

“Three years on, I have ongoing medication to treat some nerve damage, but it’s something I manage. We had a lot of support through PCFA, and Hollywood Hospital in Perth. I feel pretty lucky, things could have gone the other way. I could have decided not to do the surgery, or not to get my PSA level tested for a few more years. I thank my mum for nagging me. For any man who is hesitating to see a doctor, my message is simple: It could save your life. It’s just a blood test, so please get tested.”

A huge thank you to everyone who generously donated to PCFA over the past two days to double our impact. Because of you, we received $25,000 in matched funding from our friends at Tyrepower! While matched-giving has finished, we still need your help — every dollar raised throughout the rest of the month will help men impacted by prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is now the leading cause of cancer in Australia. Together, we can raise funds and awareness to help save more lives and ensure those diagnosed have access to vital support through our Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses

“They say there are a few defining moments that change your life forever – getting a call from my dad telling me he had prostate cancer was one of them.”

Madeline’s dad, Steven, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2020, at age 53.

“I remember feeling numb when I got the call from my dad,” she says. “I never expected this to happen to my father and especially at 53 years old. It makes me wonder how many other fathers, husbands, brothers and men in our lives are walking around with this disease, just like my dad was. It scares me to think it crept up on my family as it did, and it could happen to anyone. My dad wasn’t diagnosed until it had already spread – but hopefully other men can catch it earlier."

While her Dad is doing well at the moment, she knows it could be a long road ahead for their family. The past two years has been really hard – with most of the family separated by COVID. Madeline is in Barcaldine, while her dad lives in Melbourne.

“You never think cancer is going to happen to you, or someone you love, until one day it does. I knew I had to take action against a disease that silently creeps up on the men we love. I feel like if one girl in an outback town can get involved, then anyone can. This year, I’ll be doing Dry July for my Dad.”

Madeline knows the funds we raise will go to supporting families just like hers.

With thanks to Dry July Foundation, PCFA has significantly expanded its Specialist Nursing Service with the launch of a new nationwide Telenursing Service.

Thanks to your donations, our hospital-based nurses and telenurses are successfully meeting the growing demand for support of Australian men and families with prostate cancer:

• Over 300 new Telenursing calls each month

• Over 1700 new survivors connect each month

• Over 8,000 hospital consultations each month

The introduction of the Telenursing Service means men and their loved ones have more options for connecting with our Specialist Nurses for expert care and advice.

PCFA’s General Manager Supportive Care Programs, Bernard Riley, says no calls go unanswered.

“We’re here to provide evidenced based information and resources about all aspects of prostate cancer.

“Importantly, we help men and their loved ones understand their diagnosis and their treatment options, and how to manage the many side-effects.”

In total, PCFA’s expert prostate cancer specialist telenurses have spent 35,000 minutes on the phone supporting men and their families over the past 12 months, with spikes during periods of lockdown and surgery suspension.

“The long-term effects of living with prostate cancer can be very challenging, and as a community we need to be there to care for these men, to help them cope in the days, weeks, months, and years after treatment,” Mr Riley says.

When you go Dry in July, you’ll be helping PCFA to support Australian men when prostate cancer strikes.

To connect with the service, call 1800 22 00 99 or email [email protected].

After being a nurse for more than 17 years, and more recently joining PCFA as General Manager of Telenursing, Bernie is now one of the friendly voices behind the Prostate Cancer Telenursing Service.

With a simple call to 1800 22 00 99, men and families affected by prostate cancer can now connect with a specialist nurse - filling a vital gap now more than ever with isolation being an increased concern throughout COVID-19.

“Being diagnosed and having to navigate the health system can be scary enough but being fully informed and having advice from a prostate cancer specialist nurse can make all the difference."

“We try to empower men to fight prostate cancer, fully armed and fully informed!”

This year, the incredible funds raised by Dry July participants supporting Prostate Cancer Foundation will help fund life-changing support via their telenursing service, ensuring all men diagnosed have access to a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse. 💙