Shoalhaven men with prostate cancer and their families now have access to specialised support, thanks to the introduction of a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse at the Shoalhaven Cancer Care Centre.
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Sarah Collareda joined the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia's Specialist Nursing Service earlier this year, and is now working with the community to improve outcomes for men impacted by the disease.
She is the only Prostate Specialist Nurse in the region.
Ms Collareda she was thrilled to have joined the team as a specialist nurse, after working in oncology and hematology for the past 13 years.
"My role is here to support men and their families who are diagnosed with prostate cancer," she said.
"I can help men navigate through this experience by providing education, coordination of care, and information to help men manage the side effects of treatment and life well beyond treatment.
"It's an honour to be a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse here," she said.
PCFA CEO Anne Savage welcomed Sarah to the team and said hundreds of men in the area would benefit from the service.
"Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer in Australian men," said Ms Savage.
"Around 3,000 men are living after a diagnosis of prostate cancer across the Shoalhaven and Illawarra region, and over 230 will be newly diagnosed with the disease each year.
"Nationally around 18,000 men are diagnosed each year - that's one in six men diagnosed in their lifetime.
Ms Savage added that specialist nurse's assist with the mental challenges that go hand in hand with cancer, too.
"About one in five men with prostate cancer experience long-term anxiety and depression and many will struggle to cope with the challenges of diagnosis and treatment," she said.
"From the point of diagnosis, our nurses offer expert education and information about treatment plans, referrals to services in the hospital and community, and provide an ongoing point of contact and support for men and families."
Ms Savage said men with a family history of prostate cancer have double the risk of being diagnosed, and those with two of more relatives diagnosed, have a five-fold increased risk of developing the disease.
"Having a specialist nurse on the ground in Shoalhaven will ensure more local men are supported and have the best chance of beating this disease," she said.
PCFA Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses are situated in over 80 locations around the country, providing life-changing support and care in the community.
To book an appointment with a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse, phone PCFA on 1800 22 00 99 find out more, go to www.pcfa.org.au.
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