Hello Members and Wider Network

Nepean/Blue Mountains Prostate Cancer Support Group

 

Website and 1300 number.

The Support Group is still functioning, despite everything 2020 has thrown at us, with our website www prostatesupport.org.au and 1300 number 1300 13 38 78.

Monthly Meetings

As you know we cannot hold face to face meetings but we have been holding monthly meetings via Zoom.  Although not the same as face to face, in the circumstances it is the best that we can do.

Zoom meetings are held on the third Monday of each month, and we have been able to get speakers from interstate that we would otherwise not be able to have in a face to face meeting.  It maybe that when we do resume face to face we will explore the benefits of having some speakers via Zoom into our meeting room.

If you have not received an invite to earlier Zoom meetings and would like to join in then contact president@prostatesupport.org.au so that I can send you an invite.

Next Zoom meeting Monday 21 September 2020 with guest speaker Christopher McNamara Head of Community Services PCFA at 6 45PM.

Christopher is a trained Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse and will speak about his role at PCFA and will also be available to answer questions.

TENA MEN

In our July Zoom meeting Karen Newby WA State Manager/Senior Clinical Advisor
TENA Healthcare who is a registered nurse with specialist continence management training provided practical advice on management options in the context of treatment for prostate cancer including why treatment can trigger issues, where you can find additional support and which products may be useful for managing incontinence.

Karen has forwarded some sample products Tena Men – Discreet Protection Range – Keep Control and you may email me at president@prostatesupport.org.au if you would like a pack and we will work out the best way for you to get them.

The samples are Teena Men Pant Active Fit Large (typical for post catheter removal) and Teena Men Pads Levels 3 ,2, 1 and Active Shield.

Advice from John Kemp, Publicity Officer

 

As you all know, our Father’s Day Bunnings Sausage Sizzle event at Penrith North last year was the best one we have had.  A great number of folk came and helped out on the day at some point, and my thanks to each one of you.

That Bunnings event, is our biggest fundraising event each year, and you would be aware that there are no Bunnings BBQs in NSW at present.   John also advises that he has also just found out that the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic for 2020, another major fundraiser for us has been also cancelled. We are the non technical scrutineers at that event and scrutinise between 250 & 400 canoes before they spend the night paddling 110 kms down the river from Windsor Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge.

On 8 August, Leonay Golf Club, intended to held a Charity Golf Day for the Group but with much rain falling the day and night before the field of over 200 fell away to less than 100 when management decided that Golf Buggies could not be used on the very wet and soft course.

Management decided to defer the Charity Day but allowed us to hold a raffle with prizes donated by the Men’s Club, Ben Breckenridge Leonay’s Pro Golfer, Wayne Worthy a member, and the Club itself.

Board members John Kemp, Graeme Renshaw and myself as well as Life Member Denis Gallagher were helpers that day selling raffle tickets with the raffle netting us almost $1200.

The Club has generously re scheduled the Charity day for 19 September, but several board members can’t make that day, So, John is asking if any of you could lend a hand manning the ticket selling table which is in the pro shop then he would be grateful.  Please note that it is not a hard sell as members front the table and purchase the tickets.

John is desperate for assistance from 6 15 am and then throughout the day until the last members tee off about 1 00PM

If anyone could just do an hour or so it would be fantastic, come as early as you can, go when you have to. We would hope to raise in excess of $1000 from the raffle.  Tickets are 3 for $5, 6 for $10 and multiples after that.

If you can help out at any time PLEASE contact John by email johnchriskemp@gmail.com  with the times that you are available.

One last thing from John (and please note that no correspondence will be entered into) – a special heads up to all Neil Diamond fans, (yep, I’m one of them)…..I heard the other day we cannot listen to or sing SWEET CAROLINE till the COVID-19 pandemic is over….. that’s right…  no more….

Hands, 

Touching Hands

Reaching out

Touching me

TOUCHING YOU

Sweet Caroline  boom boom boom

 

Thats it from John.

Emu Plains Lions Club – Sponsorship of our website

The Emu Plains Lions Club has recently advised that they will sponsor the annual cost of our website www.prostatesupport.org.au and we are very grateful for their generosity.

An Update on The Long Run

An earlier email let you know about the Long Run – a fundraiser for PCFA.

The email read:

BE PART OF THE TEAM – WE NEED YOU

By now we would hope that you have heard about the upcoming “ the LONG run”, an awareness and fund raising event for Australian men & families impacted by prostate cancer.

 HOW CAN I HELP?

Join or donate to Team Nepean/Blue Mountains Prostate Cancer Support Group, you can run ,walk, wheel, whatever.

 The 72km can be covered over the month of September. Families, friends can all be part of this inaugural event.

Funds raised (100%) go to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

 Jeff Dunn AO, CEO of PCFA has an inspirational video that offers an explanation of what is trying to be achieved.  Visit www.thelongrun.org.au, click on the video button. Then click on this link https://www.thelongrun.org.au/fundraisers/nepeanbluemountainsprostatecancersupportgroup

 COME JOIN THIS FABULOUS EVENT AND JOIN THE TEAM THAT SUPPORTS OUR TEAM AND ALL PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVORS AND CARERS. 

I am sorry to note that only three board members and one carer have joined our Team and that no other member has joined the team which has exercise as a goal, or has made a small contribution to our fundraising efforts .

I ask that each of you consider joining the team or making a donation as small or large as you are comfortable with because without the ongoing funding of research by PCFA amongst others, some of the almost miracle treatments available today may not have been developed.

I am happy to say that just over one week into the Long Run we have received donations of $817 that, with the exception of the donations made by the Board Members who have joined the Team the donations have come from outsiders.

That’s it for now – a bit of a long one but quite a bit happening within the Group.

Cheers and keep safe

David Wilkinson

PRESIDENT

NEPEAN BLUE MOUNTAINS PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP INC.