Max Gardner Award

The Max Gardner Award is awarded to an individual member of the Network who has made an outstanding and significant contribution to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners, and families.

It is PCFA’s most prestige award and is named in honour of Max Gardner, who worked tirelessly to raise the level of community awareness about prostate cancer, to promote research into this disease and to support men and women dealing with prostate cancer. Max left an incredible legacy and PCFA is honoured to continue it with this award.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Max Gardner Award: 

Mr Bruce Ellen: Bruce dedicated over 15 years of his life to raising awareness of prostate cancer across regional Victoria. Together with the late Chris McPherson, Bruce helped to establish Biggest Ever Blokes’ BBQs in regional Victoria, raising significant funds for world-leading research, life-changing Specialist Nurses, and locally attuned awareness. He dedicated countless hours to PCFA’s mission, determined to ensure that high quality prostate cancer care was accessible to men and families in the Latrobe Valley and surrounding regions. His advocacy saw the establishment of a Prostate Cancer Nurse position at the Latrobe Regional Hospital, changing many lives. Bruce also leveraged his professional expertise and connections within the media industry to further amplify prostate cancer awareness, volunteering his time and resources to supply large advertising campaigns in local newspapers he managed, ensuring widespread coverage for these events. Later, Bruce was also diagnosed with prostate cancer and became a much-loved member of the Latrobe Prostate Cancer Support Group. Bruce passed away in March 2024. His legacy lives on.

Mr John Robertson: John Robertson joined the Southsiders Prostate Cancer Support Group (PCSG) in 2008 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Since then, he’s dedicated countless hours to raising awareness of prostate cancer and supporting men in need. In 2017, John took up the role as Support Group Leader, and volunteers his time for both PCFA’s MatesCONNECT and Life Force Programs. Described by fellow group members as a “quiet achiever”, John spends his spare time at shopping centres and community events raising awareness about support groups and handing out information and resources about prostate cancer.

Mr Robert Peters: Robert Peters joined the Eltham Prostate Cancer Support Group (PCSG) after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008. He took up the role as Chairman of the Eltham PCSG and then established the Essendon PCSG, which he has been Convenor of since 2010. Robert played in instrumental role in the establishment of the Victorian Council of Prostate Cancer Support Groups in 2024 and continues to share his story through the media to inspire more men to get tested to save their life. In addition, Robert leads an initiative through the Essendon PCSG which provides pumps for patients experiencing erectile dysfunction through PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Support Nurse at Western Hospital in Footscray. Robert’s unwavering commitment to PCFA’s mission, and ensuring that every man diagnosed with prostate cancer has access to the right support and care, has been a catalyst for many changed lives.

Nominations for the 2025 Max Gardner Awards will open towards the end of 2025. 

You can learn more about previous Max Gardner Award Winners below.

Previous Max Gardner Award Recipients