04 June 2026
Life Force: Taking prostate cancer awareness into workplaces across Australia
PCFA’s Life Force Program is helping take practical, life-saving prostate cancer awareness into communities, workplaces and industry networks across Australia.
Through the program, trained presenters share their lived experience of prostate cancer, while also providing information about risk, PSA testing, early detection and the support services available through PCFA.
For Support Group Leaders, the program is a powerful reminder of how lived experience can encourage more men to take action.
Mr Alan Odgers, a member of the Melbourne Prostate Cancer Support Group at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, knows how important that message can be.
After retiring from the workforce, Mr Odgers was advised to have a PSA test in 2020. His PSA was elevated, and after a biopsy, he was diagnosed with Stage 2 prostate cancer. He underwent surgery in October 2023.
“My recovery brought unexpected challenges, but the experience strengthened my commitment to helping other people understand the importance of early detection and support,” Mr Odgers says.
In early 2025, Mr Odgers joined the Melbourne Prostate Cancer Support Group and was introduced to PCFA’s Life Force Program. He has since completed training to become a Life Force presenter and is now keen to share his message with community groups, organisations, clubs, workplaces and industry groups.
Having previously worked at Master Builders Victoria as a business development manager, Mr Odgers saw a strong opportunity to bring prostate cancer awareness to Victoria’s building and construction industry through PCFA’s partnership with Master Builders Victoria.
“The presentation format allows me to share parts of my story while also sharing life-saving information about PSA testing and the support services that are available if you are diagnosed,” Mr Odgers says.
“If just one person hears my story and decides to get checked, or encourages someone else to get checked, then the presentation has done what it is meant to do,” Mr Odgers adds.
The partnership between PCFA and Master Builders Victoria will help take awareness into workplaces, training rooms and industry networks, supporting more men and their families impacted by prostate cancer.
It also shows the important role Support Group Leaders and members can play in connecting their local communities with PCFA programs, helping more men understand their risk and seek support early.
To learn more, or to book a Life Force presentation, call 1800 22 00 99 or visit prostate.org.au
