Wednesday 21 October 2009
Our guest speaker was Hayes van der Meer who's topic was "Awareness is an effective way to beat Prostate Cancer"Hayes
is a teacher at St. Patrick’s Junior School. He resides in Summer Hill with his wife and seven year old daughter and twin four year old sons. Although not a medical practitioner, Hayes spoke to the group from the perspective of having being diagnosed with and survived prostate cancer. Hayes very succinctly described his situation and diagnoses in 2005 at the age of 42. Fortunately Hayes was diagnosed in the very early stages of prostate cancer. He talked about the journey that followed and the support that he had from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is the national peak organisation for prostate cancer. Its mission is for research, awareness, and support. (www.prostate.org.au )(1800 220 099) Hayes has now become an Ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Hayes talked about the myths surrounding prostate cancer – that it is an old men’s disease. That myth dispelled, Hayes stated that if there is a family history of prostate cancer, i.e., one member of the family with prostate cancer your chances are 25% higher of getting prostate cancer, with two members diagnosed the chances raise to 50% and with three other family members diagnosed this rate rises to 75%. One of the issues is that often people do not know relevant medical history of their immediate or extended family. The federal government recommends that men be tested from the age of 50. However if there is a family history the recommends test age starts at 40.
The recommended test involves a Prostate Specific Antigen Blood Test (PSA) to check PSA levels and the Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) to check for lumps or roughness of the prostate. The prostate, we were told, is about the same size as a golf ball.
The rates of prostate cancer are higher in regional areas of Australia. The rationale for this is the types of work undertaken and less opportunity to visit and availability of medical staff. Statistics indicate that men from some ethnic backgrounds are more susceptible to prostate cancer, particularly African Americans, and Asian Australians. It is estimated that by 2010 there will be approximately 3,500 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed per year. This equates, Rotarians were informed, to 8 cases per day. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men (excluding skin cancers) and that there are more cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in Australia that breast cancer.
In detail Hayes described the symptoms and types of prostate cancer and the treatment options. On a positive note Hayes said that the after effects following treatment can indeed be minimized.
A very good analogy that Hayes’ used was that car maintenance is important to men and undertaken regularly, so too body/health maintenance needs to be undertaken regularly. Fortunately men are now more willing to attend their doctor, discuss their health and undertake the tests.
Hayes van der Meer was introduced to the Club by Peter Smith and thanked by Paul White.