As previously mentioned, I have had prostate cancer stage 4 and been through the system. What I found was the complete lack of any support or information going through this system. You are put on a conveyor belt of a great speed, then at the end you are spat out. “Your levels look good now, so the secretary will make another appointment with you” Bye.
I did as much research into prostate cancer and treatments as I could, including understanding how the chemo drugs work (quite interesting).
What I did find interesting was how did I get to stage 4 prostate cancer which had spread through all my right-hand side lymph nodes with metastasis in the hip bone, with no signs this was going on.
Why was this not picked up in my fortnightly doctors’ appointments?
So I did some more research and then started asking anybody I meet a number of simply questions to people of all age groups to count around 160 people.
- Have you heard of prostate cancer?
- Did you know more men get prostate cancer than women get breast cancer? 1
- 1 in 5 men will get prostate cancer. 2
- Do you know that a simple PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test will test for prostate cancer.
The results startled me. Two young men (aged around 25) where the only ones that knew about the PSA blood test. The only other people that heard about prostate cancer where people that knew somebody that had it. Other than that, everybody from 5 years old up knew about breast cancer.
So, I decided to see if I could do something about this lack of knowledge. The results speak for themselves, prostate cancer if treated early enough has a 98% success rate. This rate is for metro areas of the larger centers. The further out from major cities.
The results speak for themselves, prostate cancer if treated early enough has a 95% success rate. This rate is for metro areas of the capital cities. The further out from the main CBD areas this figure drops off proportionately to the distance that you travel from the major capital cities.
So, I decided to see if I could do something about this lack of knowledge.
I did as much research into prostate cancer and treatments as I could, including understanding how the chemo drugs work (quite interesting).
To this I have taken on the challenge to see if I can bring this simple goal of raising awareness of Prostate Cancer to the masses in Australia.
To the men of Australia Have you had a PSA blood test within the last year. Why not, go see a GP now, this could save your life.
To the women out there with male partners, would you like to save his life, send him to to GP now.
Are you going to the toilet more than once a night, go to the GP NOW, this will save your life.
Don’t wait like I did, go get a simple PSA blood test covered under medicare.
If I can raise the funding required to do this and interest to do this, this is how I plan to raise Prostate Cancer awareness in the most needed areas:-
- Outback remote community centers.
- Remote outback cattle stations.
- Remote outback Indigenous communities.
- I would be happy to travel anywhere in Australia to bring this much needed awareness on Prostate Cancer.