Published in the Riverine Herald August 26, 2017
A BUNCH of blokes will be meeting up for lunch to raise money for a new funding project, and this one’s a real life-saver.
The Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch will be partnering with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia to hire Echuca’s very own prostate cancer specialist nurse, Serena Morley, who will be based at Echuca Regional Health.
The new nurse will be working with a team of surgeons, urologists, radiologists, physiotherapists and other medical experts to help patients and their families understand their best treatment options.
“Sometimes the patients don’t take in all the information. A diagnosis of cancer is such a shock they sometimes don’t fully understand what the specialist has said to them,” Serena said.
“My role is to reiterate what the specialist has said to them, help them understand what the treatment options are and give them access to concise, accurate information to help them navigate the system.”
“It’s support for their family as well. By providing that information that is accurate and evidence based they know that they’re getting the care that they need.”
There is “strong evidence” that rates of prostate cancer have been rising in the surrounding Campaspe and Murray Shire areas, but Serena said that locals had been struggling to access proper health services.
“In metro areas people have better access to services, so having a prostate cancer specialist nurse in Echuca will enable men to have access in our rural area,” she said.
“It allows them to have access to that specialist nurse who can be that link to all those other services that they require when they’re diagnosed with prostate cancer.”
Echuca Regional Health “jumped all over” the opportunity for a new specialist nurse, according to Garet Stobaus, president of the Horizon Committee which organised the Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch.
“We knew there was a need, but we didn’t know how big of a need,” he said.
The Horizon Committee has been funding prostate cancer research for years, including the nursing scholarship that Serena Morley won in 2012.
“Horizon has a long association with Prostate Cancer Federation of Australia through our nursing scholarship program.” Garet said.
“We also have a very close working relationship with Echuca Regional Health through equipment funding and the Make Your Mark campaign.”
“Our commitment to funding the specialist nurse position is an extension of this. It also sees local blokes funding a service they know is needed, but hope they never need to use.”
Around 340 blokes will be gathering at the Echuca Racecourse on October 6 to raise funds, spread prostate cancer awareness, and eat lunch.
“It’s a great day out. It’s a day of networking, considering that a lot of the guys in the room might only see each other once a year,” Garet said.
Blokes interested in joining can contact Dick Phillips by email at dp.echuca@bigpond.com.au or by mobile on 0458 802 211.