We are dedicated to supporting people effected by prostate cancer and raise awarenness of the condition to enable early diagnosis and improve health outcomes. We are members of the national federation of prostate cancer support groups aka "Tackle prostate cancer"https://tackleprostate.org/
One in eight men will be effected by prostate cancer in their lives and this rate doubles to one in four for black men.
A diagnosis of prostate cancer can be a shock and a significant emotional burden for both men and their wives, partners and families.
Our support group in Stafford recognises that the support needs will vary between individuals and will greatly depend on what stage their prostate cancer journey is at.
For example, men with a new diagnosis will be given information on their treatment options and advised on the risks and benefits of each option and asked to choose. We believe the best way of making an informed decision is to discuss the treatment options with men who have lived experience of each of those treatment options and work out what might be best for them and their lifestyle.
This is important as research suggests that " treatment regret" is experienced by many men with prostate cancer and we hope to help reduce this. In addition, a relatively new option of "active survellance" is a difficult concept for many men and their familes to understand. By talking to people with personal experience people will be able to make better informed decsions about their care/ treatment.
Men that have had treatment and experience the full range of adverse reactions will also benefit from discussing these with men that have experience of those treatments and of managing those side effects. Which provides reassurance or confidence to discuss with a healthcare professional.
Wives, Partner and family members are often deeply effected by a diagnosis of prostate cancer for a whole raft of reasons, including concern around prognosis and the impact on their husband, partner etc. Peer support from people in a similar position can be invaluable in getting through the difficult times.
Finally, men with a diagnosis of advanced (Stage 4) prostate cancer and their families have different support needs . By definition, the condition at this stage isn't curable but can be managed with a range of treatments. Peer support from men in the same position can again be hugely benefical in reducing the feeling of isolation.
To make our group sustainable and valuable we therefore need people with lived experience of prostate cancer to join us to share their experiences and help others. Those people that have benefited from support will hopefully stay with the group. and support the next group and so on.
If you have any questions please get in touch and we will respond as soon as we can. Or simply turn up at a meeting and listen to what goes on.