Chris' Story
Support Groups Work Wonders for Men with Prostate Cancer
Chris Ward knows only too well the benefits of going to Prostate Cancer Support Groups. So much so, the 70-year-old from Lincoln who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, is now running his own Support Group for men with prostate cancer and their families.
Chris and his wife Dianne run a support group in Lincoln on the 4th Wednesday of the month that is well attended with over 40 people on their books. The Support Groups run under the guidance of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, are a great way for men and their partners living with prostate cancer to tell their stories and to help people who have been recently diagnosed to navigate their way through the healthcare system and to consider the many treatment options they may have.
Chris discovered he had prostate cancer through his annual blood test checkups with his GP. Alongside the regular blood tests for cholesterol and diabetes, he had a blood test for PSA, which is a specific test for prostate cancer. The test came back high and after retesting was high again. Chris was referred to a urologist for a biopsy which came back positive for prostate cancer and after surgical treatment and a period of recovery he is now fine.
Chris says, “my story shows why it is so important for men over 50 to have a regular PSA blood test. The earlier prostate cancer is found, the better the outcome”
Helping Chris with his recovery has been his participation as a founding member of Prost-FIT. This is an exercise programme specifically designed for men with prostate cancer that has helped many men from the Canterbury area. The Prostate Cancer Foundation plans to roll Prost-FIT our across the country in 2020 to help other men stay healthy on their journey with prostate cancer.
Paul Hayes Marketing and Fundraising Manager for the Prostate Cancer Foundations says “these support groups and Prost-FIT can only run due to the time volunteers like Chris and Dianne put in and the generosity of people who donate to the Foundation”
The Prostate Cancer Foundation is one of the charities benefiting from Dry July in 2020. Paul says “please sign up to do Dry July this year and fundraise for the Prostate Cancer Foundation so we can help people like Chris”. “Funds raised will enable the foundation to roll out the Prost-FIT programme across the country to benefit other men with prostate cancer”
