Prostate News - ISSUE 58 / October 2014

FUNDRAISING

PROSTATENEWS REDUCING THE IMPACT OF PROSTATE CANCER

ISSUE 58 / OCTOBER 2014

NEW PROSTATE CANCER

SPECIALIST NURSES

CONTENTS & NATIONAL BOARD

Contents Around the Country ............................................................ Page 03 Research ............................................................................ Page 05 Awareness .......................................................................... Page 07 Health Programs & Nursing ................................................ Page 10 Support ....................................................................................... Page 12 Fundraising ......................................................................... Page 13 Partnerships ....................................................................... Page 17 Cover shot: New Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses. Read more on page 10.

Big Aussie BBQ - Mat thew, Moy Read more a and Law on page 13 rie Hayden.

e on page 7. w. Read mor

s available no

New resource

Copy and feedback Prostate News is Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia’s newsletter. It comes out three times a year. Prostate News is distributed in hard copy as well as digitally. Should you want to receive Prostate News on a regular basis, please send an email with your contact details and preference, to our database team at enquiries@pcfa.org.au. Should you want to order more copies, you can send them an email as well.

PCFA highly values your feedback. Should you have any, please email to Marieke Koets, Manager Marketing and Communications, marieke.koets@pcfa.org.au. You can read all of our previous Prostate News issues on our website pcfa.org.au

1

CEO MESSAGE

CEO Message

Our message crosses the language barrier It has been estimated that some 15% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, yet very little is currently known about the specific prostate cancer information and support needs of their communities.

In 2013, for the first time, we asked participants in PCFA’s annual Community Attitudes Survey whether prostate cancer information should be available in languages other than English and found that almost two-thirds were in favour.

This year, therefore, PCFA decided to conduct research into the attitudes and experiences towards prostate cancer of men

whose first language is Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian or Vietnamese. We chose these languages because they were the five most commonly suggested languages from the 2013 survey. After English, they are also the five most commonly spoken languages at home in Australia.

validate our initial conclusion that they would be of value to their respective communities.

The first, quantitative, phase of the research revealed interesting differences between speakers of the five languages and encouraged us in the belief that translating prostate cancer resources would be of real benefit to Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

We are delighted to present the findings from this research in our 2014 Community Attitudes Survey Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities and Prostate Cancer and, at the same time, to launch the Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese versions of What you need to know about prostate cancer.

The survey and resources are available by calling the National Office on 1800 22 00 99 or by downloading from the PCFA website www.pcfa.org.au.

We therefore decided to undertake qualitative research in the form of mini focus groups to adapt and guide the translation of the resources. We wanted to ensure that any resources developed would be culturally appropriate and to

Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, Chief Executive Officer, PCFA

National Board Chairman David Sandoe OAM

Awareness & Education Dr David Malouf (Chairman)

Deputy Chairman Jim Hughes AM

National Support Groups Ian Wagner (Chairman)

Finance & Operations Chris Hall (Chairman)

Marketing & Fundraising Steve Callister (Chairman) Rotary John Palmer

State Chairmen Tony Sonneveld OAM (NSW/ACT) Peter Gebert (VIC/ TAS) Roz Baker (WA) Distinguished Professor Judith Clements (QLD) Emeritus Professor Villis Marshall AC (SA/NT) Professor John Mills

2

AROUND THE COUNTRY

Vice commodores raise thousands

Big names push the men’s health message in SA

What do you get when you combine Parrot Head and pirate dress-up days, supplemented by mud crab races, the music of Jimmy Buffett and lots of good times? It has to be the annual Whitsunday rendezvous of the members of the Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club.

In South Australia we have been delighted to welcome several celebrity names.

Not only to PCFA’s well-established Ambassador program, but to our cause more broadly. The former champion jockey John Letts, Magarey Medal-winning footballer Michael Aish, cricket legend Les Burdett and the ABC sports identity Peter Walsh have joined the awardwinning winemaker Grant Burge and Adelaide’s Lord Mayor, Stephen Yarwood, in spruiking prostate cancer testing and awareness. They join our unsung volunteer heroes who underpin PCFA activities in the state. The team from the United Firefighters Union, the former policeman Brian Kimber, farmer Dean Foote, trucking businessman Geoff Houghton, finance broker Derek Robertson, rural identities Mike and Sue Wood, and several more regional stalwarts all collect cash from money boxes on CBD collection days, in Subway restaurants, Australian Hotels Association venues, independent TAB agencies and in Barossa Fine Foods and Charlesworth Nuts stores.

The “shaggers,” as they are eloquently known, do have a serious side however.

Presenting at their rendezvous were the leading international prostate MRI specialist, Professor Jelle Barentsz, from the Netherlands, and the leading urological surgeon, Dr Les Thompson.

Clearly the gentlemen concerned were listened to very carefully, as the shaggers dug deep and the event raised good money.

Know Your Score and Sausage Sizzle Day in WA PCFA partnered with the West Australian Football commission (WAFC) to launch the ‘Know Your Score’ campaign, dedicating a round of West Australian Football League games played on 14 June 2014.

With the slogan ‘Talk to your doctor and keep yourself in the game!’, we encouraged men to talk to their doctor about being tested as part of their annual health check.

The local Butchers Sausage Sizzle Day was held on 20 September 2014.

PCFA partnered with the Australian Meat Industry Council in WA where independent local butchers across WA held their own sausage sizzles in support of the Big Aussie Barbie campaign, providing a great opportunity to also connect with their local communities.

If it’s spring, it must be Blokes’ Lunch time Spring 2014 marks the start of our Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch events. With lunches already held in Ballarat, Shepparton, Wagga and Pakenham, the 2014 calendar is shaping up to be our most successful ever. This concept has grown from seven events in 2013 to 11 in 2014, including the first events in Mildura and Pakenham. Not only great fundraising, but an excellent opportunity to get the message out about prostate cancer awareness.

In September we had our Big Aussie Barbie launch in Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall which was a great success. Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) has also come on board to host Big Aussie Barbies at each of their 12 racing clubs with terrific local and regional support to date. Our thanks go to GRV for their timely support in the most important month of the year for prostate cancer awareness.

3

FUNDRAISING

RESEARCH

Living with Cancer Our research, your future PCFA – once again in partnership with Ovarian Cancer Australia (OCA) – co-hosted the annual interactive research forum at the remarkable Translational Research Institute (TRI) in Brisbane, on Thursday 26 June 2014. The event, brilliantly facilitated by the well-known journalist Julie McCrossin, drew a record attendance of more than 130.

The day brought plenty of promising news about progress in immunology research, genomic research and drug development. Emerging treatments and methods are improving quality of life and survival rates for patients of both prostate and ovarian cancer and research into the environmental triggers and effects of lifestyle is improving our ability to prevent cancer or improve its outcomes.

This news was certainly encouraging – but there is still much more to be done either to develop cures for these types of cancer, or to reduce them to chronic manageable conditions.

A great many other issues need to be addressed, too, in patient care and treatment management, as well as support services for patients. Professors Suzanne Chambers and Penny Webb joined Associate Professor Sandi Hayes and Dr Catherine Shannon in a panel discussion about unmet needs in prostate and ovarian cancers.

Associate Professor Hayes is an exercise physiologist at the Queensland University of Technology. She studies the transition back to normal life for cancer patients to understand the factors involved in improving quality of life. She is particularly interested in the role of exercise in reducing the side effects and long-term detrimental effects of treatments. Her three recommendations are that • Patients

should be educated about their treatments and the side effects they may experience

• Surveillance

of side effects should be integrated with surveillance of the disease itself

• Exercise

should be formally integrated into cancer treatment and beyond.

Dr Catherine Shannon is a medical oncologist at the Mater Hospital, Brisbane, where she is involved in clinical trials in

5

breast, lung and gynaecological cancers.

She believes there is a major unmet need for rehabilitation. With 25,000 patients surviving cancer every year, cancer survivors are the fastest growing population segment in Australia. They need better care once their treatment ends. She and Associate Professor Hayes agreed that the limited funding of appropriate programs for cancer survivors is a significant issue.

Associate Professor Hayes explained that it was important for patients to exercise regularly during and after cancer treatment – even those who were not regularly active before their cancer diagnosis. We know exercise helps, though we don’t yet know precisely why. We know it can reduce the number and severity of side effects, improve recovery times and bring psychological benefits. Research also shows that regular exercise after diagnosis is associated with longer postcancer survival for some cancers. She recommends at least 150 minutes of exercise a week using a variety of exercise methods. For more information, visit the Exercise is Medicine website www.exerciseismedicine.org.au Professor Chambers, who investigates the psychosocial aspects of cancer recovery, agreed that exercise can have a big impact on mental health. “One of the best things we can do, is have physical activity integrated into cancer care,” she said.

Greater emphasis should be placed on rehabilitation, panel members agreed, and more resources should be devoted to it.

Rehabilitation facilities are badly needed in regional areas. The quality of care should not vary as widely as it now does with a patient’s location, socio-economic status or whether they are in the public or private system. Such factors can cause patient outcomes to vary widely and further research was needed to explain the gaps in patient outcomes.

RESEARCH

Both the OCA and PCFA are pushing to provide more patient support. There are currently close to 170 prostate cancer support groups around the country and there are 14 more specialist prostate cancer nurses, bringing the total to 26 nationally.

Support for clinical trials in Australia is currently inadequate. There are too few research nurses, which limits the capacity for clinical research – yet funding for these positions is difficult to obtain. Greater participation in clinical trials should also be encouraged. Only 2% of patients currently take part in such trials, even though evidence shows trial patients tend to have better outcomes.

There was a great deal of audience participation throughout the day and in the final panel session, and many thought-provoking issues were raised, including that specialists should be more involved in support groups, that more physiotherapists should familiarise themselves with cancer side effects, and that better information and support should be available with regard to palliative care.

We hope to see you all in Adelaide next June.

Photo 1: Annual Research Update Forum 2014, TRI, Brisbane, Australia. Left to right: Prof Suzanne Chambers, psycho-oncologist; Prof Penny Webb, cancer epidemiologist; Dr Catherine Shannon, medical oncologist; A/Prof Sandi Hayes, exercise physiologist.

Photo 2: Journalist Julie McCrossin interacting with the audience

6

AWARENESS

New resources Since the last edition of Prostate News, there have been several exciting developments relating to the information resources PCFA is producing.

Prostate cancer pack: Information for gay and bisexual men As we promised last time, the new set of resources specifically for gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer is now available. PCFA launched the new set at the monthly Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association networking event ‘Fruits in Suits’ on 21 August 2014. The turnout was fantastic with more than 200 attendees. We received very positive feedback, with many men genuinely elated that PCFA had recognised the specific needs of gay and bisexual men and the impact a prostate cancer diagnosis has on their lives.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, spoke of the importance of this set of resources in meeting the often ignored prostate cancer information needs of this group.

The eminent academic researcher,

7

Professor Gary Dowsett from La Trobe University in Melbourne also described the valuable research that he and others are conducting on gay and bisexual men’s experiences of prostate cancer.

Formally launching the resources was Alex Greenwich, the Independent member for Sydney, who shared with the attendees his family’s experiences of prostate cancer.

It was a sobering reminder that prostate cancer touches so many. One of the leaders of the first PCFA-affiliated gay and bisexual men’s support group, Greg Millan, also spoke of how crucial such support groups have been for many gay and bisexual men.

The speeches were all very well received by the audience, some of whom told us afterwards prostate cancer had not been an issue they knew much about, nor one they had thought they needed to worry about. The launch was thus also a successful awareness-raising event for PCFA.

AWARENESS

Prostate cancer pack: Information for younger men In September, PCFA published a set of resources specifically for younger men with prostate cancer – another group whose needs are not always mentioned in discussions about the impact of prostate cancer.

Though prostate cancer is more commonly diagnosed in older men, men younger than 50 have also been diagnosed with it.

For some men, youth is not determined just by their number of years: what’s happening in their lives also decides how young they see themselves – whether they have dependent children, work full time, are the family breadwinner, or are still looking for a long-term partner. These are major considerations for men who have to manage the challenges of living with a prostate cancer diagnosis, make treatment decisions, cope with unwanted or unexpected side effects and maintain positive wellbeing.

This set of resources aims to provide information about issues that younger men face with prostate cancer. The issues are divided into four separate booklets for ease of access and understanding, with each booklet covering a major aspect of the cancer journey.

Community Attitudes Survey – Culturally and linguistically diverse communities and prostate cancer and resources in community languages PCFA launched its 2014 community attitudes survey and the Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese versions of one of our key resources – What you need to know about prostate cancer on 10 September 2014 at the Mint in Sydney.

The launch was well attended by community leaders, representatives from community organisations serving people from the five language groups, health professionals, researchers, and journalists from newspapers and radio for these communities.

The focus of the 2014 survey was set after the 2013 survey found almost twothirds of men who participated favoured making prostate cancer information available in languages other than English.

In response, PCFA decided to research the attitudes towards and experiences of prostate cancer among men whose first language is Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian or Vietnamese. Those languages were chosen because they were the five most commonly suggested in the 2013 survey as well as being the five languages most commonly spoken at home in Australia after English. Our research led us to translate some of our key resources into these five languages while ensuring that they are culturally appropriate and useful.

The publication of prostate cancer information in the five community languages was very well received.

Perhaps the usefulness of these translated resources can be best summarised by one of the men who took part in the research.

“You may get a huge amount of information about prostate cancer from the Internet, but you really can’t judge whether it is true or not. However, these PCFA brochures are very trustworthy and reliable, and we have the confidence to follow the advice from these brochures. When one feels lonely and helpless, one is more likely to turn to this source.”

Fruits in Suits The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Business Association was delighted to host Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia last August, at Fruits in Suits, its monthly social networking event for gay and bisexual men and their guests.

SGLBA President Mark Haines says: “With around 200 attendees each month, Fruits in Suits was the perfect forum for PCFA to get the message out to men within our community.

The guest speakers shared some invaluable knowledge with the crowd, and in fact I was approached by a number of people after the event thanking us for hosting.”

“We welcome other organisations using the SGLBA as a conduit to share important issues such as awareness of prostate cancer,” Mark says, “and thank PCFA for taking the opportunity to engage with the community.”

All the resources can be found at www.pcfa.org.au or ordered by calling PCFA on 1800 220 099

8

AWARENESS

More Ambassadors spread the word PCFA’s Ambassador program has expanded in leaps and bounds over the past financial year. From July 2013 to June 2014, more than 170 Ambassador presentations took place throughout Australia – nearly twice the previous year’s number. The Ambassador program has reached thousands of people in a wide range of places, including mine sites, corporate offices, and those of professional bodies, at universities, men’s sheds, Rotary clubs, and community awareness events.

Many thanks go to all of PCFA’s Ambassadors for their invaluable work over the past year, and to the PCFA state offices for supporting and promoting the

Roadshow heads to Port Lincoln This winter PCFA brought its Rural Education Roadshow to Port Lincoln, South Australia. The sessions, held on 18 and 19 August, were a resounding success.

Both sessions were well attended, so we were able to provide valuable information on prostate cancer awareness, treatments and side effects to both the general community and local health professionals.

Many thanks are due to the presentation team – urologist Dr Darren Foreman, radiation oncologist Dr Marcus Dreosti, medical oncologist Dr Christopher Hocking, and prostate cancer specialist nurse Sally Sara – for their support of PCFA and enthusiasm in sharing their specialist medical knowledge with the Port Lincoln community.

“The program is a great way to broaden the education and skills of local healthcare professionals and community members on prostate cancer management”, said Katie Dundas, PCFA’s Education Projects Coordinator.

To learn more about the Roadshow, and to see where it will visit next, please visit www.pcfa.org.au.

program within their communities. We also thank the groups who have hosted an Ambassador speaker, and helped promote the importance of awareness and early detection within their organisation.

Ambassador speakers are available across the country. They come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, ages and interests and are also representative of the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender and Intersex, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The one characteristic they all share is the passion to educate men and their families about awareness of prostate cancer and men’s health.

In the words of Stephen Jackson, a PCFA Ambassador from Jindalee, Queensland, “Soon after my prostatectomy, I was travelling in rural Queensland. The comment was made, ‘The Flying Doctor must be in. There are cars down by the clinic,’ and I realised how easily I had my problem resolved, and how almost impossible it must be for those so far from medical help. So I thought, what can do I do to help? And here I am.”

Ambassadors are available to speak to groups across Australia as a free community resource. For more information, or to request a speaker for your group, please contact Katie Dundas at ambassadors@pcfa.org.au.

Ambassador Vin Jenkins’ experience When I had my prostate gland surgery six years ago, my initial reaction was to keep the news to myself. At the time I didn’t want to attract any sympathy, or worry my children or my friends unnecessarily.

I then heard that a close friend had had the same operation within a week of my own surgery. So I wondered whether prostate cancer might be more common than I realised. Once I became aware that early detection could save lives, I wanted everyone I knew to hear about my experience.

When I was 64 my doctor suggested that I have my first PSA test. That blood test revealed a score of three, and a second test six months later a score of six. A biopsy confirmed the presence of prostate cancer.

So I was very lucky indeed that my GP was so diligent.

After several years of sharing my story with many people I realised I would like to do more to get the message out. That is when I approached PCFA to volunteer my services.

I have been an Ambassador now for just over a year. It has proved to be a very rewarding experience. The audiences I have addressed have been very receptive to our messages.

The most encouraging experiences were those where many, many questions were asked after my presentation. At one event

an audience of about 40 people kept me answering questions for more than 40 minutes – a very lively session indeed.

Even more encouraging has been the feedback from audience members, either with their own stories about prostate cancer, or stories about relatives and friends.

In particular, it’s always good to hear from those men who were persuaded by my talk to take the positive step to talk to their GP about having an annual PSA test. If my involvement with PCFA saves only one life I would feel fully rewarded for my efforts.

HEALTH PROGRAMS & NURSING

National host sites announced for the Prostate Cancer Specialist Nursing Service The health service providers to host the second wave of specialist nurses in 2014 as part of PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Specialist Nursing Program have been announced.

• Royal

The federal Minister for Health, Peter Dutton, announced the names and locations in August after the new placements were made possible by a $6.2 million allocation in last year’s federal Budget.

• Western

PCFA is proud to announce that there are now 26 Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses working in major metropolitan and regional hospitals in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory at these sites:

Adelaide Hospital, SA

• Repatriation • Austin

General Hospital, Adelaide, SA

Health, VIC

• Ballarat

Health Services, VIC

• Canberra • Royal

Hospital, ACT

Darwin Hospital, NT

• Launceston • Royal

• Bendigo

Hospital, VIC

• St

• Geelong

Hospital, Barwon Health, VIC

• Hollywood

• Latrobe

Regional Hospital, VIC

• Mildura

Base Hospital, VIC

• The

Bays Hospital, Mornington, VIC Health Service, Footscray, VIC

• Macquarie • Orange • Port • St

University Hospital, NSW

Hospital, NSW

Macquarie Base Hospital, NSW

George Hospital, NSW

• Tamworth • Cairns

Rural Referral Hospital, NSW

Hospital, QLD

• Greenslopes • Mater

Private Hospital, QLD

Hospital, QLD

• Rockhampton • Townsville

Hospital, QLD

Hospital, QLD

General Hospital, TAS

Hobart Hospital, TAS

John of God Bunbury Hospital, WA Private Hospital, WA

Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses play a critical role in ongoing prostate cancer care by helping families navigate difficult areas such as treatment and ongoing hospital visits. Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses provide men, their carers and families with an ongoing point of contact throughout treatment, assist in accessing services within the hospital and in the local community during and after treatment, and provide reliable information about diagnosis and treatment options. They provide information and support relating to the management of symptoms after treatment, address specific problems men may have, and help to coordinate the care men diagnosed with prostate cancer receive.

10

HEALTH PROGRAMS & NURSING

PCFA’s new Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses undergo their training August 2014 saw 14 newly appointed national Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses attend their official training and induction launch event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The program was both an orientation and an introduction for the nurses to the prostate cancer specialist role, and gave them an insight into the more common aspects of prostate cancer care, including treatment, side-effect management and

11

psychosocial support for patients, their carers and families.

The Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses were welcomed by PCFA’S Chief Executive Officer, Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, and its National Chairman, David Sandoe OAM. The training and induction event covered the latest in radiation oncology treatments, chemotherapy, clinical trial and hormone therapies as well as a discussion of active surveillance. Well received by the nursing group were workshops that delved into topics specific to prostate cancer: living with and beyond cancer – the impact on the carer; the impact on urinary function; the impact on sexual function; and psychosocial and supportive care. The workshops let the nurses

really sink their teeth into their new roles and workshop the issues they may be presented with when caring for patients and their carers once they return to their workplaces.

The Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses were provided with tools, resources and materials to ensure they are able to capture all aspects of care and educate patients, their carers and families in the most up-to-date treatment options and symptom management.

Of course the event was not all business.

A wonderful night followed at a Melbourne restaurant where the nursing team and PCFA staff discussed the exciting opportunities in front of them.

SUPPORT

Community groups strengthen support for men with prostate cancer PCFA’s network of support groups continues to grow, with 168 support groups now established across Australia.

As part of our strategy to provide support to diverse populations, that total includes seven groups for partners, six groups for gay and bisexual men, three groups for younger men, two groups for men with advanced prostate cancer and one Greek-speaking group.

PCFA is also about to launch its first telephone support group for gay and bisexual men which will be available to men in Victoria and Tasmania. The newly developed gay and bisexual resource pack will also be invaluable to men from the gay/bi community seeking information on how to manage the social, emotional and physical impact of prostate cancer on their wellbeing and their relationships.

Plans are also progressing to launch a national telephone support group for younger men. The resource pack for younger men is now also available from PCFA and can be ordered online. Many of the issues younger men face when diagnosed with prostate cancer are unique.

Younger men are generally in the formative years of their work life, in newly formed intimate relationships or just starting a family.

Diagnosis and treatment can be devastating for them as they grapple with the possible

implications for their intimate relationships, family life, and work.

Three exercise-based support groups have been established also in Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales. Emerging research points to a positive association between participation in exercise groups and wellbeing for men with prostate cancer. These groups, which are professionally facilitated by exercise physiologists, provide a way for men to come together in an activity and network with each other at the same time to gain mutual support.

As part of our ongoing collaboration with State Cancer Councils, PCFA has partnered with Cancer Council Tasmania to fund the development and delivery of a five-week information and support program for men with prostate cancer and their partners. This program has been operating throughout September in Launceston and the feedback has been very positive. Weekly sessions, organised in partnership with Launceston Hospital and its Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse, have addressed aspects of diagnosis and treatment, including urinary incontinence, sexuality and relationships, psychological wellbeing, nutrition and exercise.

about the implications of prostate cancer from a range of professionals, they are also able connect with other participants, gain mutual support and extend their support network. After the sessions have ended, the program also links participants to other support options in the community including peer-support groups.

Awareness events have been taking place across Australia throughout September in recognition of International Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. They were supported

by PCFA’s network and in collaboration with its state and national offices – including an awareness event in Newcastle on 27 September at which experts talked about the physical, social and emotional aspects of diagnosis and treatment.

At the same time as men and their partners receive valuable information

PCFA training conferences PCFA has now held four of the five training conferences planned for 2014 to build our Support Group Leaders’ capacity to lead their groups. Feedback has been very positive, with all participants agreeing that participation was worthwhile and that they had increased their knowledge and skills for helping others on their cancer journey and in better understanding their own care needs. Some feedback we received:

“Provided answers and assistance, identified many issues relevant in my position” – NSW/ACT Chapter training conference

“Excellent, life-changing information to help people in support groups” – Vic/Tas Chapter training conference

experience and learning as a support group leader.

“I gained valuable information to impart onto members of my Support Group” – NSW/ACT Chapter training conference

It would be impossible to deliver such programs without the generous support of our sponsors, including the funding provided

by Cancer Australia over the past three years.

“Extremely helpful for my prostate journey after surgery” – WA Chapter training conference

Thank you to all our supporters, as we work together to reduce the impact of prostate cancer on the community.

More than 93% of participants viewed the opportunity to interact and network at the four conferences with other support group leaders as beneficial to their own

All the resources can be found at www.pcfa.org.au or ordered by calling PCFA on 1800 220 099 12

FUNDRAISING

Big Aussie Barbie Bigger than ever in 2014 You may have noticed our Big Aussie Barbie ads throughout August and September around your local bus stop, on your radio station, in your MX newspaper, and even on TV. This year we were lucky enough not only to have the former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden as the celebrity ambassador of the campaign but also his father, Lawrie Hayden. Lawrie was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010 and is the reason why Matthew is so passionate about supporting PCFA and raising the profile of prostate cancer.

“This is my second year as the Big Aussie Barbie’s ambassador. It was amazing to see so many people get involved in last year’s campaign,” Matthew says, “and the

competitive streak in me wants this year’s campaign to be the biggest yet.”

By sharing Lawrie’s story and having Lawrie present on all our materials we can bring home the message, and show why people really need to get on board and host a Big Aussie Barbie. “When I was told I had prostate cancer,” Lawrie says, “my whole family was effectively given a cancer diagnosis. You go through treatment and recovery together and it teaches you the importance of banding together to fight this dreadful disease.”

Matthew and his father launched the Big Aussie Barbie campaign on 29 August 2014 at their very own Big Aussie Barbie

(From left) Benn Robinson, Matthew and Lawrie Hayden behind the bbq

13

at Wynyard Park, Sydney. They promoted the day at the Triple J Studio and Studio 10 in the morning and hundreds flocked from offices to grab a bite from the barbecue and take home so amazing goodies including our special mini barbecue tongs.

This year the campaign aims to raise $1 million – so if you haven’t yet signed up to host a Big Aussie Barbie, it’s not too late. You can hold your Barbie throughout the summer months as well and still receive a welcome pack.

Check out the website, www.bigaussiebarbie.com.au, for more information.

Inflatable BBQ

FUNDRAISING

Northern Beaches Prostate Cancer Support Group Big Aussie Barbie The Northern Beaches Prostate Cancer Support Group decided to host a Big Aussie Barbie on 14 September. Mary Jones, one of the committee members who organised the day, tells us how they created a fantastic fundraising and awareness community barbie.

“What started out as a simple affair grew to become the Big Aussie Barbie Family Fun Day. The aim of the day was to sow the seed of awareness and the need for men to be mindful that their health is important, while raising funds and having fun.

We are fortunate on the Northern Beaches to have a real community spirit, and everyone was happy to help. Our local council provided us with the use of a sporting facility that had barbecue facilities and room for our other activities.

In the lead-up to the big day we wanted to ensure the whole community knew about our Barbie. This was greatly helped by the support we received from local business and their willingness to help us advertise our day whether it was by displaying our posters in their shop windows, local

community notice boards or by putting our barbecue details on their web sites.

We had flyers printed which were placed in local cafés, the library, yacht and sporting clubs and community groups.

Our posters went into work tearooms everywhere. Wherever we went the flyers were given away to advertise our event.

Even the checkout chick in the Coles supermarket got one.

There was a noticeboard by the side of the road announcing our event, banners were placed in strategic places and by contacting the radio stations we had announcements on both national and Sydney radio telling of our function. Emails went out to many groups, both community and business, alerting them to our event and the need to raise awareness.

We had our Big Aussie Barbie details on various event web pages, and the local online news featured it for several weeks beforehand.

Facebook proved to be an enormous help as the word went round. We have all heard how Facebook events can go

viral with disastrous results, but for us it worked to spread the message as users shared their posts. People far and wide heard about us.

At our Big Aussie Barbie there was something for everyone. The motor enthusiasts brought their classic cars, the hot rods and vintage motor cycles came along too, and we had a colourful display of vehicles. There was a jumping castle and face painting for the children, market stalls for the mums, woodturning for the dads and community musical groups to entertain. The children’s school choir and local primary school band were wonderful, as was the community choir and ukulele band who entertained as our group cooked up a sausage sizzle.

Everyone had a wonderful day and many have asked to be involved in our next event. Our main purpose was to raise awareness of prostate cancer in the community and this we did.

We got people talking about the need for men and their families to take the time to think about prostate cancer and how it could affect their lives, while having fun.”

14

FUNDRAISING

Blackmores Sydney marathon A crew of 15 PCFA volunteers ran a water station at the Blackmores Running Festival on Sunday 21 September.

The volunteer team had a great time cheering on and supporting the 32,000 participants in the half and full marathons, and were especially delighted to see our PCFA Team Save a Man runners decked out in PCFA running shirts.

The 149 runners in Team Save a Man had all worked hard on their run and fundraising, both with great success.

PCFA runner at Blackmores Running Festival

The Mo is back – get growing!

Movember is back for 2014 and hairier than ever. They’re challenging Aussie men to help change the face of men’s health by donating their upper lips as hairy billboards to help raise funds and spark conversations around prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health.

Mo Bros (men who rock a Mo) sign up at www.movember.com. Starting cleanshaven on 1 November, they then donate their face for 30 days by growing and grooming the best moustache they can muster, and raise funds and awareness along the way.

Mo Sistas play a key supporting role by signing up as team captains, recruiting Mo Bros, helping to raise funds and also encouraging the men in their life to take action when it comes to their health.

Since 2003, the Movember Foundation has raised $580 million thanks to the support of four million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas who have helped fund more than 800 programs in 21 countries.

Sign up, grow and donate at www.movember.com 15

FUNDRAISING

Show us your jocks

ProState

Mates man up for men’s health with ‘Show us your jocks’ campaign

Perth to Margaret River Cycle

A group of high-profile Queensland businessmen and mates dropped their pants at a special charity lunch last month raising $1.2 million in support of prostate cancer research.

The staggering result makes the ‘It’s A Bloke Thing’ lunch, held annually in Toowoomba, one of the most successful fundraising luncheon in Australia.

Toowoomba-based and founding committee members Gary Gardner, John Wagner, Mark Crampton and John Fitzgibbons also announced a major national fundraising campaign at the lunch: ‘Show Us Your Jocks’.

Wearing not much more than Akubras, Drizabones and boxer shorts, the four mates launched their quirky campaign in front of the bemused 380 guests, which included the motorcycle champion Mick Doohan and PCFA’s National Chairman, David Sandoe OAM. Gary Gardner, the 2014 chairman of the It’s A Bloke Thing Foundation, said the campaign was a way of engaging all Australians to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research.

“We have had overwhelming support from the local Queensland community and with PCFA, which has helped us raise $1.2M for prostate cancer research

at our annual Easternwell It’s A Bloke Thing Foundation lunch in August.

The aim of the Show Us Your Jocks campaign is to reach even more people at a grassroots level and get them on board too,” said Mr Gardner, who along with John Wagner has suffered prostate cancer.

He said the community was encouraged to enter the boxer short decorating competition ‘Show Us Your Jocks’ with the chance to win a family holiday to Tangalooma Island in Queensland plus a $2,500 Qantas travel voucher.

All funds from the $10 competition entry fee will go directly to PCFA, with the national winner announced in November 2014.

For entry details and terms and conditions go to www.showusyourjocks.com.au The It’s a Bloke Thing Foundation was established in 2010 over a glass of wine between friends and a serious discussion about the terrible ‘thing’ they found they had in common.

One hundred riders took on the challenge to cycle 300 km in two days on 12 and 13 September 2014. They cycled from Perth to Margaret River, finishing at Watershed Winery for a Big Aussie Barbie. Rt Hon Dr Kim Hames attended the farewell event at South Perth foreshore, along with patron of the event Kim Ledger, wishing the riders well.

Founder Jeremy Watkins and team were accompanied by Jeremy’s wife Sarah-Jane and brother in law Malcolm Brown, who lost their father Alan Brown to prostate cancer in April 2014. Alan was the inspiration behind Jeremy creating this event, which is now in its third year.

Plans are in place for the event to grow to 200 riders in 2015, with the goal to double in size every year, until 2017 when 800 people will participate in the event making it a major part of the Perth Social and Sporting Calendar. Jeremy, Malcolm Brown and, another long time participant of the event, Martin Main cycled back to Perth from Margaret in one day (less than 14 hours), with just one day rest in between. This was a personal crusade for the three riders in memory of the inspiration behind the event, Alan Brown.

For more information about the It’s a Bloke Thing Foundation please visit www.itsablokething.com.au

Rt Hon Kim Hames and Patron Kim Led ger farewelling the cyclists

(From left) John Wagner, Gary Gardner, John Fitzgibbons, Mark Crampton and Graeme Higgs

16

PARTNERSHIPS

Support PCFA this Christmas With Christmas and year-end fast approaching, PCFA is thrilled to be the beneficiary of these wonderful Christmas campaigns.

Individual Cards

Corporate Cards

Simson cards has been a long term supporter of PCFA and each year they generously donate royalties from the sale of their PCFA branded Christmas cards to us. These cards are available again and in stores now.

Charity Greeting Cards has a range of PCFA branded Christmas cards available for businesses wishing to send cards to their customers, clients or other stakeholders. These cards can be personalised with your own message, text and logo and can be ordered online.

Charity Christmas Cards

Available in all David Jones and Myer Stores and selected Australia PostShop, newsXpress, Nextra, Wild Cards & Gifts and over 1,000 newsagents and speciality card shops across Australia

has proudly donated over $165,000 to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia from the sale of their PCFA branded cards

Christmas Gift Baskets Charity Hampers has a large range of hampers and features gift baskets for all budgets. 10% from every hamper purchase will be donated back to PCFA. Visit www.charityhampers.com.au/ prostate-cancer-foundation-of-australia

17

PARTNERSHIPS

PCFA welcomes new major partner PCFA is delighted to be teaming up with Australia’s biggest independent tyre retailer Tyrepower who has come on board as major sponsor of our Convenience Advertising Campaign.

With over 250 independent stores within its National network, Tyrepower is Australia’s largest independent tyre retail chain, and recognised by many of the

larger tyre manufacturers as a primary distribution channel in Australia.

Together with Tyrepower, PCFA will deliver powerful material reminders in public washrooms around the country. The goal of this campaign is to build awareness on prostate cancer and to educate and inform both men and women on the resources and support PCFA has available..

With the aim to improve men’s help seeking behaviours, the campaign will feature A4 posters and takeaway cards placed in public conveniences right across Australia targeting both men over age 40 and women as influencers.

Vote for PCFA and help us win a $50,000 grant The Dick Smith Foods Foundation is donating $1 million to charity this year and they let their costumers decide by voting. If we get a lot of votes PCFA can receive up to $50,000.

How to vote? Simply text or email a photo of a Dick Smith Foods product in your pantry to charity@dicksmithfoods.com.au and add “Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia” (and your name if you wish).

The more products, the more votes.

For more information check www.dicksmithfoods.com.au /charity-breakthrough

Launching in salons nationwide from October, NIOXIN is proud to again support PCFA with a donation of $5 from the sale of each new limited edition Hope-Full Hair Boost Pack.

The limited edition NIOXIN Hope-Full Hair Boost Packs are available in Nioxin Systems 1-6 and include Scalp Cleanser (150ml), Scalp Revitaliser (150ml), Scalp Treatment (40/50ml) and brand new DiaBoost (100ml), providing visibly thicker looking hair after one use.

The award-winning team from Joey Scandizzo salon donned boxers in salon to kick off NIOXIN’s Hairdressers for Hope — look out for more cheeky fundraising from your local NIOXIN stockist!

RRP $89.95 (saving $27 if purchased individually)

For stockists visit: www.nioxin.com • 1300 885 002

“PUTTING SOME POWER INTO THE FIGHT AGAINST PROSTATE CANCER.” FUNDRAISING

PROUD TO BE A MAJOR PARTNER 2014 – 2015.