11 December 2025

Connection matters: Celebrating togetherness this Christmas

This December, the Toowoomba Prostate Cancer Support Group wrapped up their year with a relaxed Christmas gathering.

A simple, catch-up filled with conversation and connection that has come to define the group.

For convener Cyril Curgenven, Christmas is a good time to stop, take a breath, and enjoy each other’s company. 

“We don’t need a big agenda. We just need to show up for one another.”

For Cyril, the Toowoomba Prostate Cancer Support Group offers genuine support, straight talk, and a sense of belonging that makes a real difference for men and families navigating prostate cancer.

“We don't host formal meetings. We’re just good people looking out for each other. That’s what makes it work.”

Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month (there are no meetings in December and January), but the group also stays in close contact throughout the week.

Many members catch up twice a week at the gym, then have coffee and conversation. “It’s not just about the meetings,” Cyril says. “It’s about the friendships. If someone’s got a problem, we talk it out. We look after each other.”

Cyril first joined the group in June 2022 after his own diagnosis, not knowing what to expect but quickly realising the power of shared experience.

“I really enjoyed it from the first meeting,” he recalls. “Just listening to the men talking — and the partners too — I got a real kick out of it. I thought, ‘This is where I’m meant to be.’”

His involvement deepened over time. When former convener Ian Greave encouraged him to take on the leadership role three years ago, Cyril didn’t hesitate. “Ian said to me, ‘Come on, Cyril, you’ve got a bit of go in you.’ So I put myself up, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I just try to keep things simple, positive, and honest.”

Part of Cyril’s role involves taking calls from men who are newly diagnosed or unsure about treatment. Many arrive frightened or overwhelmed. “A lot of blokes ring me and say, ‘Cyril, I don’t know what to do.’ And I tell them, ‘Mate, come to the meeting. Ask the group. We’ve all been through it.’”

Beyond emotional support, the group is active in community fundraising. Their annual Bowls Day has become a local highlight, with this year’s event raising nearly $700.

They also volunteer at the local amateur theatre, handing out brochures, starting important conversations, and raising more than $2,700 so far. When the South Bowls Club recently donated $1,000, it meant a great deal.

“People recognise the good we’re trying to do,” Cyril said proudly.

Their kindness stretches beyond Toowoomba. When a man from Inverell came to town for surgery with no family nearby, the group stepped in. “His ex-wife asked if someone could check on him,” Cyril says.

“I said, ‘Of course I will.’ I visited him, checked in every day, and made sure he was all right. He appreciated it very much.”

As Christmas approaches, Cyril hopes other support groups will embrace the same spirit of togetherness.

“Have a catch-up. Keep it simple. A phone call, a coffee, a chat — that’s all it takes, and it makes a world of difference.”

For Cyril, leading the Toowoomba Prostate Cancer Support Group isn’t just a role.

“It means a lot to me,” he said.

“It’s part of my journey in life to help people. I reckon that’s what I’m here for.”