Invitation letter:

Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is collaborating with RTI Health Solutions (RTI-HS), a non-profit research organization located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina in the United States, to help recruit patients to participate in an online survey. RTI-HS is developing and administering a survey instrument to elicit and quantify treatment preferences among people with prostate cancer. We were wondering if you would be interested in the paid study below.

We are looking for patients with a diagnosis of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (NM-CRPC) defined as those with prostate cancer who are surgically or medically castrated and have rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels despite surgical or medical castration (on continuous androgen-deprivation therapy).

Participation will involve an online survey taken from your own home that will last approximately 20 to 25 minutes and you will be asked questions about your experiences with NM-CRPC and treatments for NM-CRPC. This research study does not involve any medication. Your decision to take part in this study is completely voluntary and any personal information provided will be kept confidential. No selling or solicitation will result from participation. We will comply with all relevant laws protecting your personal data with respect to anonymity and confidentiality.

Participants that meet the inclusion criteria and complete the survey will be compensated approximately $4 to $5 AUD for their time.

To learn more about this study, or to find out if you are eligible, send an email to researchAU@surveyengine.com

We hope that you find this experience to be a valuable way to provide feedback regarding your experience as a prostate cancer patient.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at researchAU@surveyengine.com

Thank you for considering participation!

On behalf of the PCFA Online Community team, I would like to thank you for your considerable contributions to the community throughout 2020 in maintaining this online peer-supported forum.  Without a doubt, this year has been incredibly challenging with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting many prostate cancer pathways and access to resources and experts.

Despite the difficult year that we have encountered, it has been a year in which we have been able to achieve so much together. COVID presented us with problems but also provided a number of solutions and achievements - and some of those achievements include: the survivorship education webinar series (Available in the video blog section), support groups meetings via Zoom videoconferencing, Ask the Experts Webcasts on Urinary difficulties and Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials (Available in the video blog section), digital Ambassador presentations via Zoom, post-production of a prostate cancer podcast series with the University of Southern Queensland, the first ever Virtual Community Conversations event,  the pilot of the MatesCONNECT telephone-based peer support program in WA along with the transition of the Online Community to this new and engaging platform. Transitioning the Online Community to this new platform was a mammoth effort and we appreciate everyone's patience during this time and value feedback you may have on any aspects of the community.

In closing out the year I would like to thank each and every Online Community member for their contribution and feedback on improving practice throughout the year. So much has been achieved this year that will change the way of how we interact in our communities in the future. This pivot to online will also benefit men and their families affected by prostate cancer well into the future with PCFA education and engagement of the community. I look forward to supporting everyone in the PCFA Online Community in 2021.

My best wishes to you and your loved ones this festive season. Stay safe. Merry Christmas!

[ During the Christmas break, please direct all enquiries to onlinecommunity@pcfa.org.au ]

Kind regards

Christopher McNamara

Head of Community Services / Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

New research has found significant benefits in using olaparib to treat men who have metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and BRCA1, BRCA2 or ATM gene mutations.

The treatment is being considered for listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme, with consumer comments open from this Thursday December 24 until February 11 next year.

We’ll be advocating to have the treatment listed on the PBS – collecting your comments for submission. Email enquiries@pcfa.org.au for more information and stay posted here.

Register now for the next Prostate Cancer Support Group Education Webinar:

Erectile Restoration Surgery - A new approach to penile rehabilitation (Dr David Dangerfield & Dr Chris Coombs) Tuesday 15th December at 2:00pm AEDT.

Click here to register

Not long to go now. Register now for Virtual Community Conversations today.

https://www.accelevents.com/e/VirtualCommunityConversations 

(Check out the attached event schedule for more details)

This year the PCFA Community Conversations event is going digital.

Register now!

No matter where you live and what you do, this year’s event is for you. 

You’ll have easy click access to world-leading scientists, game-changing specialists, and other men and women who understand what it’s like to live with prostate cancer.

Sit back and enjoy your front-row seat to podium presentations, interactive sessions, and virtual networking.

The next Advanced Prostate Cancer Phone In Meeting is scheduled for Friday 23rd October !!

Please be aware of the time difference due to daylight savings. Follow directions as per this post to dial in for the meeting.

Epworth and Icon are collaborating to lead the way in prostate cancer patient-centred care with a new precision target-based treatment - Focal Brachytherapy.

Join the experts as they educate prostate cancer patients on this new treatment option which uses MRI to identify prostate cancer, and targeted radiotherapy to treat only the tumour, instead of the whole prostate, to keep side effects to a bare minimum.

Australian behavioural scientist and chief executive of Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Professor Jeff Dunn AO, has been voted President-Elect of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).

Launching 30th September 2020 !

MatesCONNECT is a phone-based peer support service for men affected by prostate cancer in Western Australia.  

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, our MatesCONNECT service can connect you to a trained volunteer who understands what you’re going through. All of our volunteers have been through prostate cancer. 

You can get practical advice on surgery and treatment, and the side effects of treatment, such as incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and coping with Androgen Deprivation Therapy. 

The service is accessible wherever you live in WA. Simply call us on 1800 22 00 99. 

We’ll take your details and find a volunteer who suits your situation. While our volunteers can’t give you medical advice, they can provide you with an understanding of what to expect and give you an insight into living with prostate cancer.  

Download and print our flyer to promote this valuable service in your community.  

For questions about the service, you can contact us at enquiries@pcfa.org.au 

Erectile dysfunction medication now more affordable for Australian men.

On the 27th August, the Urological Association of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) made a statement on tadalafil (Cialis) now off-patent and more affordable for Australian Men suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Prostate Cancer Survivorship: The Long Run

For the first time, we’re bringing together experts from New York, Vancouver, Sydney, and Perth to talk about the challenges of prostate cancer survivorship.

We’re calling it out – men impacted by prostate cancer face specific challenges that are seldom addressed in mainstream healthcare delivery. Our latest research pinpoints seven priority actions as a practical platform for change.

Register early to receive a copy of our Survivorship Essentials Framework and send your thoughts to our panellists before the meeting.

JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT IT!

7-8pm (AEST

Wednesday 23 September 2020

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

This webcast is proudly presented by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia with thanks to the support of Astellas.

You must register to join the webcast – register now to ask your question and learn more about prostate cancer survivorship with confidence.

Not available to join us live?
Register and stay connected to view the webcast post recording via onlinecommunity.pcfa.org.au

We are currently recruiting MatesCONNECT volunteers. If you have lived experience of prostate cancer and are passionate about supporting other men, we would love to hear from you!

MatesCONNECT: a phone-based peer support service that will be delivered to men affected by prostate cancer in Western Australia, thanks to a generous grant from Woodside Community Fund. MatesCONNECT will be accessible to men wherever they live in Western Australia, with a particular focus on supporting men's health in regional and rural areas. 

If you live in Western Australia and would like to participate, please click on the link to the MatescONNECT website for information on how to apply to become a volunteer.

Welcome one and all Online Community Members!

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia with valued feedback from the Online Community has transitioned the Online Community to a new more user-friendly and engaging platform. Our Online Community has been developed to provide an accessible space for you to connect with others in the PCFA network