Prostate cancer support group urges men to come in

The Griffith group is the first prostate cancer support service in Australia to have their own office space, and the committee is keen to ensure it's put to good use with resources, chats and meetings.

The office is located on the corner of Kooyoo and Yambil Streets and is open regularly between 10.00am and 2.00pm on Wednesdays, but committee members said they were happy to come in at any time.

The space has plenty of resources to help recently-diagnosed patients understand the medical side of things, but group chairman Colin Beaton, treasurer John Crimmins and facilitator Barry Maples said that the office space helped them address other topics that came up.

"There are mental and emotional effects after having a diagnosis and what it does to you ... it impacts your relationships, there's the sexuality side of things. Most of us have had experience in how to adjust and can share lessons we've learnt along the way," Mr Beaton said.

"Another thing is just reassurance, just talking with another bloke to know you're on the right track, you're doing the right thing ... when I was diagnosed, I felt like I was the"

Mr Beaton said that they were especially pleased with the work they had already done - but were keen to keep it up.

"We take pride that in the Riverina, diagnoses of stage one prostate cancer is higher than the national average, but stage three and four are lower," he said.

"People are getting tested earlier, when it can be treated."

It's not just men either, and Mr Maples said that they often saw wives, daughters or granddaughters come in to get information that they could share with the males in their life.

Mr Crimmins encouraged it, but urged men not to let women do all the work.

"I'd like to see more people come in ... guyssometimes know they could have a problem, but they bury their heads in the sand," he said.

They hoped that the recent announcement that King Charles III had received treatment for an enlarged prostate, and his subsequent cancer diagnosis would help destigmatise treatment and encourage more men to get tested.

"Had he not gone in for that operation, there's a good chance they wouldn't have picked the cancer up," said Mr Beaton.

The Griffith Prostate Cancer Support Group is available at the corner of Kooyoo and Yambil Street from 10.00am every Wednesday, and meets at the Southside Leagues Club on the third Thursday of each month at 7.00pm.