27 April 2017

Thursday 27 April 2017: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) commends the Federal Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, for renewing the funding for 15 Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses across Australia. The funding will secure their positions for a further three years.

PCFA's Prostate Cancer Specialist Nursing Program was first launched in 2012 and has made significant progress to expand its reach to metropolitan and regional areas across Australia. Today, we have 28 prostate cancer specialist nurses across major metropolitan and regional hospitals in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, Chief Executive Officer of PCFA, says more families will benefit from the free services thanks to this continued financial support. "Today's announcement will change the lives of more Australians who are dealing with a prostate cancer diagnosis. For many men their diagnosis is the first time they have given prostate cancer a thought. Most have no understanding of the disease or treatment and it can cause a lot of fear and uncertainty. Friends and families are vital, but specialist nurses have the knowledge and skills to help men at all stages in their cancer journey – diagnosis, treatment and aftercare."

"We are thrilled that more men will now be able to access this service. PCFA would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Federal Government for recognising the importance of this program and securing its future over the next three years," says Associate Professor Anthony Lowe.

With 20,000 new prostate cancer diagnoses each year and just 28 Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses for all of Australia, unfortunately only 1 out of 4 men diagnosed has access to the life-changing expert nursing support. Associate Professor Anthony Lowe says that PCFA’s goal is that every Australian man should have the opportunity to approach prostate cancer specialist nurses. "We need to extend the program and support more men during this frightening time in their lives. To help us in our journey, the continued support of the government and community is crucial. More men should have access to an expert nurse to walk with them every step of the way."

For further information about the Prostate Cancer Specialist Nursing program or to find out more about PCFA, visit www.pcfa.org.au or call 1800 22 00 99.