PROSTATENEWS REDUCING THE IMPACT OF PROSTATE CANCER ISSUE 71 / JANUARY 2019 A focus on SURVIVORSHIP Contact Us Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia 1800 220 099 | pcfa.org.au INTRODUCTION Welcome from the Chairman Contents improved prioritising of funded projects for the next five years and will be implemented in 2019. Survivorship ......................... 02 Our on-line community continues to attract increasing numbers of interested visitors who have access to general information (in English and five of the most spoken Nursing ................................ 03 languages in Australia). This platform also enables interactive community discussion and posting of current research findings Support and and prostate cancer health issues from around the world. Awareness ........................... 04 The number of Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses employed in hospitals across Australia has also grown to 48. There is a Research .............................. 07 Dear Supporters need for 110 specialist nurses to ensure all men and their partners have access to the This is my first “Message from the services provided by these dedicated and Fundraising .......................... 09 Chairman” and I am very proud to have compassionate professionals. PCFA are been appointed to this position by the actively seeking many sources of funding National Board of Directors. With your to ensure all Australians have access to help, PCFA will continue its vital mission Corporate Support ................ 11 this essential service. through strengthening and efficient delivery of our three program pillars of research, PCFA is a community organisation awareness and support. founded by and for those affected by Fundraising prostate cancer. We rely on your support In 2005 I became actively involved as to remain and build PCFA’s position as around the Country ............... 13 Convenor of the St Vincent’s Support the peak body, advocating and bringing Group to allow others who walk this services to these men and their families. path to have access to essential support services, many of which were in their Ours is a truly remarkable organisation infancy at that stage. We have come a and I feel deeply privileged to be able very long way since that time, however to serve you as National Chairman. I there is still much more we need to do. would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to I have remained involved in the prostate you – and all our supporters – for your cancer community for fourteen years and sustained contribution whether this be by have served as National Director for ten volunteering or financial support. years. In my new position, l am delighted to work with all our dedicated supporters, PCFA values your feedback. volunteers and staff on the expansion of If you would prefer a digital copy, PCFA’s positive impact for men diagnosed to unsubscribe, or to order more with prostate cancer and their families. copies, please send us an email at [email protected] Because of the generosity of people like Best wishes you, over the last ten years PCFA have For more information on PCFA, Steve Callister please visit www.pcfa.org.au funded Australian research programs National Chairman exceeding $60 million. Our newly developed Research Strategy allows National Board National Chairman Helen Dundon (SA/NT) Bill Munro (WA) Steve Callister (Marketing & Fundraising) Professor Mark Frydenberg AM John Palmer (Rotary) National Deputy Chairman (Awareness & Education) Geoff Underwood (VIC/TAS) Chris Hall (Finance & Operations) Peter Haylen (NSW/ACT) Associate Professor Tony Walker ASM Emeritus Professor Bruce Armstrong AM Jim Hughes AM (National Support & Community (Research Advisory) Associate Professor Andrew Kneebone Outreach) Distinguished Professor Judith Clements AC (QLD) 1 FEATURE Survivorship Prostate cancer is the most commonly committed research and community diagnosed cancer in Australian men, with partners to strategically address prostate approximately 95% of men nationwide cancer survivorship issues. Key Action diagnosed surviving for at least 5 years. This collaborative effort uses an evidence- It is no surprise, therefore, that there are based approach to gather information, Areas over 200,000 Australian men living after a give voice and advocate for these men. › Survivorship focused diagnosis with prostate cancer. As the peak national body, our aim is to research studies inform improvements in policy, practice For those who survive, living with and and outcomes. › Build capacity through beyond a diagnosis presents other knowledge translation and significant challenges to health and Maintaining our grassroots approach, implementation wellbeing, collectively referred to as meaningful involvement from our network cancer survivorship. members brings invaluable, real-world › Advocate for change to perspective to this work. Such inclusive support optimal care A recent review into prostate cancer efforts increase the momentum and › survivorship has demonstrated substantial likelihood of long-term success. Integrate and promote gaps in knowledge, which result in barriers evidence-based support to real improvements in men’s outcomes Over the coming year we look forward across the survivorship experience. to updating everyone on the various survivorship projects, how to get involved In 2019, Prostate Cancer Foundation and progress made in this area. of Australia is driven to work with our Key Needs Identified ercise Nutrition scological Survivorship Carecoordination management sical sideeffects egional disparities management Strategic Research Survivorship Projects Partners: Thank you to the Network members The information gathered will inform who participated in the 50 Voices Pulse- survivorship thinking and practices Check study and the Prostate Cancer to improve the quality of life for those Specialist Nurses who participated in diagnosed. We look forward to sharing the Delphi study. These research studies outcomes of the study later in 2019. aim to identify key survivorship issues and priorities. 2 NURSING Sharing expert care across borders Prostate Cancer programs. She also met up with two program. She will share the results with Specialist Nurses psychologists John Robinson and Lauren PCFA PCSN’s for implementation into their (PCSN) provide Walker at the Holy Cross hospital and own practices. Gay will be a speaker at invaluable support attended the ‘Life after prostate cancer’ the ANZUNs conference in Brisbane in to men and sessions for patients. April 2019. their loved ones from the point At the Vancouver Prostate Cancer Centre, Gay was humbled by the generosity of the of diagnosis Gay had the opportunity to observe their Canadian practitioners who shared their throughout their session “Managing the Impact of Prostate experiences with her. Gay Corbett, Prostate Cancer Cancer Treatments on Sexual Function Specialist Nurse, Ballarat treatment journey. & Intimacy”. “This valuable opportunity provided Gay Corbett is a Prostate Cancer me with a sense of international Specialist Nurse at Ballarat Health One of Gay’s interests is to implement connectedness and created a cross Services. In October last year, Gay had a validated training model – like the one pollination of ideas to help us with the the opportunity to travel to Calgary already used in Canada – for Prostate design of an effective program for the and Vancouver in Canada as part of Cancer Specialist Nurses to assist men improvement of our services here in her training and development. She and their families to navigate their way Australia,” she said. through the impact of ADT. was funded through the Australian and Expert care is essential during the New Zealand Urology Nurses Diamond “Our aim is to train a ‘champion’ nurse challenging time of diagnosis and Scholarship Award. in Australia who would educate others treatment of prostate cancer. Providing As Gay told us, arriving in Canada amidst through consistent messages that will ongoing access to training for our Prostate the biggest and earliest dump of snow improve men’s side effect management Cancer Specialist Nurses is one of our in October for 50 years, did not dampen of ADT, the sexual health and wellbeing priorities, as well as helping them to her enthusiasm. Gay was keen to get of men diagnosed with prostate cancer,” provide patients and their families with the new skills, share knowledge and make Gay said. most up to date information. connections that would improve her work Erectile dysfunction, for example, is a side Prostate Cancer Foundation of and the work of other Prostate Cancer effect of ADT and an identified unmet Australia is very thankful for the Specialist Nurses. need of men with prostate cancer. Gay generosity of local communities, Acquiring international knowledge and has developed a 90 minute supportive the federal government, corporate experience in topics such as Androgen care workshop called “When prostate partners and individual donors whose Deprivation Therapy (ADT) treatment – a cancer joins you in the bedroom”, support has funded Prostate Cancer dynamic area that is always changing – is which she presented at the University Specialist Nurses in 45 locations crucial for the development of the Prostate of British Columbia and currently offers across Australia. Cancer Specialist Nursing program. bi-monthly to men and their partners in the Grampians region. Gay visited Calgary’s Prostate Cancer Centre to discuss their survivorship Gay will use the information acquired to improve, validate and evaluate her Prostate