PROSTATE cancer patients across Australia who are struggling with their mental health are benefiting from free counselling sessions being offered by Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA).
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country, with more than 26,000 men newly diagnosed each year.
Around one in three Australian men diagnosed will experience anxiety and depression as a result of their diagnosis and treatment, contributing to a 70 per cent increased risk of suicide.
To help combat the devastating impact of a diagnosis and treatment, PCFA launched its free counselling service in 2022 and has since provided over 3,200 sessions to men and their partners in critical need of support.
PCFA Head of Supportive Care Programs, Bernie Riley, said the service was Australia’s only prostate cancer-specific counselling service.
“Being diagnosed with prostate cancer and undergoing treatment can result in a number of changes both physically and mentally, which can be really confronting for those impacted,” Mr Riley said.
“That’s where our Counselling Service steps in.
“Our counsellors help men and their loved ones navigate the challenges of their diagnosis, providing practical strategies for coping with the disease and self-managing the emotional, spiritual, and psychological impacts of what they are experiencing.
“The service exists to help catch men before they fall into isolation and suicidal ideation.”
Mr Riley said the service is also helping to close the gap in access to psychological care in regional and remote areas across Australia.
“One third of people who are accessing the service are from regional and remote areas, providing a vital lifeline to those who may otherwise not have access to psychological care,” Mr Riley said.
“Some of the most common concerns from those we help are related to general anxiety, uncertainty about the future, fear of cancer recurrence, and changes to relationships.”
The Prostate Cancer Counselling Service is proudly supported by The Profield Foundation.
For more information on prostate cancer and to enquire about the Prostate Cancer Counselling Service, please call 1800 22 00 99 or visit www.prostate.org.au
