18 August 2026

The Male Bag Foundation helps strengthen prostate cancer support in regional Victoria

Men and their families affected by prostate cancer in regional Victoria will receive greater access to Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses through a new partnership between Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Male Bag Foundation.

The Male Bag Foundation, a charity well-known for its iconic postie bike rides, will fund an additional day each week for PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses in Echuca and Bairnsdale.

The $65,857 investment over 12 months builds on the Male Bag Foundation’s long-standing commitment to improving prostate cancer diagnosis and care in regional Australia.

Established in 2011, following an ambitious motorbike postie ride from Perth to Melbourne, The Male Bag Foundation has raised more than $2 million and placed 15 transperineal biopsy machines in regional hospitals across Australia.

The Male Bag Foundation’s Julian Dewan said providing regional hospitals with vital medical equipment and expanding access to Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses were central to the organisation’s work.

“Our focus has always been on ensuring men in regional Australia can access high-quality prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and support, regardless of where they live,” Julian said.

“By helping regional hospitals secure essential medical equipment and supporting greater access to Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses, we are strengthening care at every stage, from diagnosis and treatment through to recovery and ongoing support.”

In Echuca, the additional support will enable the creation of an Androgen Deprivation Therapy Education and Support Program, providing practical assistance to patients managing the physical and emotional effects of ADT treatment.

In Bairnsdale, the funding is expected to reduce waiting times for new patients and support the introduction of survivorship care plans.

The expanded services are expected to support hundreds of additional patients across Bairnsdale and Echuca.

In the Gippsland region, which includes Bairnsdale, around 250 men are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, while approximately 2,680 men are living after a diagnosis.

In the broader Loddon Mallee region, which includes Echuca, approximately 400 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year, equivalent to more than one diagnosis every day.

PCFA’s Head of Advocacy and Partnerships, Will Vallely, thanked the Male Bag Foundation and its supporters for investing in the health of regional Victorian men.

“A prostate cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, particularly for men in regional communities who may face longer travel distances and fewer local support services,” Will says.

“This generous investment will give our Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses more time to support patients and families, reduce waiting times and deliver important new programs focused on treatment and survivorship.

“We are enormously grateful to The Male Bag Foundation and every rider, donor and supporter who has helped make this expansion possible.”

The Male Bag Foundation, whose name is a playful take on the traditional postie’s mailbag, hopes to extend this support into the future and reach more regional communities across Australia.

“Having all been touched by prostate cancer in some way, we recognised the need for greater awareness, support and investment in research for prostate cancer, and we hope to continue this support well into the future,” Julian says.

To find out more about The Male Bag Foundation, please visit: https://www.themalebagfoundation.org.au/

For information and support, go to www.prostate.org.au or call 1800 22 00 99 to speak with a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse.

Image Above: Left to Right: Greg Fordham, Tony Clayton, David Parkin and Julian Dewan (Credit: Josie Hayden).