The Geelong Prostate Support Group (GPSG) has received funding to help encourage men to get themselves checked.
GPSG received a $5000 Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) Community Grant and $5000 from the Barwon South West Integrated Cancer Services (BSWRICS) to deliver a prostate cancer awareness program.
Secretary and prostate cancer survivor Bill Rebula said it was “wonderful” for the group to receive funding for marketing and raising prostate cancer awareness.
“We have to raise awareness because this is a region where we’ve got one of the biggest incidences of prostate cancer deaths in Australia,” he said.
“We think the reason for that is the lack of awareness and men wanting to be tested. We’re just trying to get men into that mindset that they have to be tested regularly.”
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and Mr Rebula said it was important for men to get their prostates checked, especially if they have a family history of prostate cancer.
“I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and my dad had it, so I was aware that I was at a high risk so I got tested,” he said.
“I was lucky to get it early and felt very fortunate. It’s very important to encourage men to get tested because I was lucky, and I think others can be lucky.
“It’s never the end of the road once you get prostate cancer because we’re very lucky that the medical system is able to deal with it in a number of ways.”
The GPSG’s program aims to promote the message that early detection saves lives and that people should talk with their doctor if they have urinary symptoms, are aged 40 or more with a family history, or are aged 50 or more.
