Who we are:
The Prostate Cancer Foundation NPC was established in 2005 as a non-profit-company. It was registered in 2018 as a non-profit organisation.
Our aim is to minimise the impact that prostate cancer has on South African men and their families.
To do this we provide forums for:
- Healthcare professionals, who diagnose, treat and research prostate cancer on a daily basis through our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board
- Prostate Cancer Patients, their families and volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of those who have been affected by prostate cancer through our patient affairs board
- Corporate Members who want to assist by providing financial resources and marketing expertise through our marketing and strategic planning board
It is this involvement of the medical specialists who research and treat prostate cancer, the companies that develop the treatments, and the patients and their families affected by the disease that makes our organisation unique and enables us to fight the disease from all angles.
What we do:
Education and Awareness
South Africa has one of the highest death rates from advanced (metastatic) prostate cancer. We use every opportunity that we get to educate men and their families about prostate cancer and the importance of age and risk appropriate screening to ensure that prostate cancer is diagnosed in the early stages when it is potentially curable. We charge corporates a small fee for our education stand or a presentation but attend community events for free whenever possible.
One-on-one Interaction with men
One of the most effective ways to educate men about prostate cancer is through one-on-one education at our Prostate Cancer Foundation stand at wellness days, sports events, and community activities. Trained volunteers, wellness advisors and nurses provide information at the stand.
Media Interviews
We assist the media by participating in programs and interviews. Members of our Patient Affairs Board are available to talk about their journey with prostate cancer. Medical specialists from our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board are able to provide scientifically accurate information on all aspects of the screening, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Media exposure is critical to help raise awareness about prostate cancer
Virtual Presentations
Our virtual presentations provide a powerful platform to educate men across the continent about prostate cancer and the importance of screening for early detection.
Providing Prostate Cancer Information for Healthcare Facilities and Doctor’s Rooms
We provide prostate cancer information information for public sector healthcare facilities and doctor’s rooms
Information
We provide comprehensive multimedia information on prostate cancer through our website and social media.
Awareness
We will strive to ensure that prostate cancer achieves the appropriate levels of awareness that it deserves. One of the main ways that we do this is through our annual Suit Up September campaign. We ask men and women to wear a suit on any day in September and to purchase a “Suit Up September” sticker to help create awareness about prostate cancer. All funds raised are used to support the education, awareness and research initiatives that we implement.
Developing National Prostate Cancer Diagnostic and Screening Guidelines
We have already played a major role in the development of draft diagnostic and treatment guidelines for prostate cancer. We’re working with other professional societies who have an interest in prostate cancer to establish national diagnostic and treatment guidelines for prostate cancer and to ensure that these are updated regularly to include new diagnostic and treatment modalities.
Continuing Professional Development for Healthcare Professionals
New screening methods, new diagnostic techniques and new treatment options require healthcare professionals to continually update their knowledge. We’re well positioned to play a key role here thanks to cooperation between our organisation and Prostate Cancer UK. We’re working on rolling out education programs for healthcare professionals to ensure that they have the best possible knowledge and skills to advise male patients about screening for prostate cancer. We also want to participate in cutting edge global initiatives to help improve the diagnosis of prostate cancer so that our doctors will be able to recognise which cancers require treatment and which ones can be left alone and monitored. (active surveillance).
Supporting Men and their Families affected by Prostate Cancer
We support men and their families who need information through e-mail and via our telephone helpline. Often men want more clarity on what treatment options are available for their stage of prostate cancer. Our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board assist with providing expert advice. Sometimes it’s a family member who contacts us to assist an elderly father or spouse. We provide objective scientifically accurate information to allow them to make an informed decision. The side effects of prostate cancer treatments can be a huge source of anxiety and stress for men and their partners. We assist wherever we can by steering them in the right direction, but ultimately the patient has to make the decision. We also provide resources to other organisation involved in running prostate cancer support groups.
Providing free PSA Screening for men
We believe that one of the causes for the high death rates from prostate cancer in South Africa is a lack of access to prostate cancer screening. A simple blood test, called a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test is usually sufficient to detect whether there is a potential problem in the prostate. Although this is not a cancer specific test, an abnormal result warrants referral to a urologist for further investigation.
Ensuring wider access to prostate cancer screening is the start towards ensuring that more prostate cancers are detected in the early stages when the disease is potentially curable.
