north east regional extra | June 2 - 8, 2021
nemedia.com.au
1.
June 2 - 8, 2021
Lending a listening ear ◆ CHANCE TO CHAT: Prostate cancer nurse Sally Timmins, support group leader Dave Edwards and Mandy Cavanagh, nurse unit manager for Northeast Health Wangaratta’s cancer and wellness centre, discuss the creation of a prostate cancer support group for the local area, which will have its first meeting on June 9. PHOTO: Kieren Tilly
By SIMONE KERWIN THROUGH any stage of life, great comfort comes from sharing experiences with others who understand what you’re going through. Until now, that’s been difficult for local men with prostate cancer, and their families, unless they know others with the diagnosis or can travel to support groups in Shepparton or Albury. However, a planned new North East support group
based in Wangaratta is aiming to change the situation. With the assistance of Northeast Health Wangaratta prostate cancer nurse Sally Timmins, who has held her newly-created role for the past six months, the prostate cancer support group will kick off on Wednesday, June 9 with a gathering at Wangaratta’s Northo (North Eastern Hotel) in Spearing Street. For men like Chiltern’s Dave Edwards, who with Sally has
trained as a support group leader through the Cancer Council Victoria and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia in readiness for the group, it will be a welcome addition to local services, and he’s hoping people will take full advantage of the chance to gather with others who have prostate cancer diagnoses, as well as their family members. “If my experience can help others, that’s great, and theirs will also help me, so it’s a two-
way street,” he said. Dave said he was lucky his diagnosis two and half years ago came early and was closely monitored. “When my PSA (prostate specific antigen) count got to a certain level, I had a radical prostatectomy, where they take the whole prostate out,” he said. “That was in September, and though I still have sideeffects, it’s a matter of doing your exercises and talking to
your doctors. “I had two friends in Bendigo who had gone through it, so I had them to speak to if I needed to, but it would be great to have people in this area - and some people have no-one. “We are blessed we have good doctors and a prostate cancer nurse now for the first time, but it really makes a difference if you can talk to others who know what you’re going through.
“It’s typical of men that we don’t like talking about things, particularly about our health, but we need to do it more often.” Sally agreed, saying while every story was different, knowledge of shared experience was so valuable for all involved. “There are a lot of side-effects of treatment, so having peer support is really important,” she said.
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