Some man in your life has prostate cancer. You may not know he has the cancer. Men are not naturally talkative about their health. He may not know he has it, either. Many men wait too long before seeking a doctor’s care.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Lung cancer is first.
According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures, in 2007 there will be 218,890 new diagnosed cases of prostate cancer and 27,050 deaths due to the disease. Put another way, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, while only one in 34 will die of this disease.
There is good news. The death rate for prostate cancer is decreasing and the disease is being diagnosed earlier.
In Chattanooga, prostate cancer survivors, newly diagnosed patients, or anyone wanting more information can attend a prostate cancer support group meeting at either Erlanger Hospital or Memorial Hospital.
At Erlanger, the Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group meetings are sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Erlanger serves as the host, provides a facilitator, and serves a free meal for the monthly gathering. Meetings are on the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Cancer Classroom just inside the valet parking entrance on the Baroness campus.
Sam Harris, Patient Advocate for Oncology at Erlanger, is the facilitator for the support group. Each month, Mr. Harris invites a doctor or other medical professional to present a topic related to prostate cancer. Recent topics have included surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, incontinence, and nutrition. For more information on upcoming meetings, contact Mr. Harris at 778-5119.
Memorial Hospital also has a Prostate Cancer Support Group. Meetings are open to cancer patients, family, and friends. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 10:30 a.m. until noon in the Mary Ellen Locher conference room on the 4th floor of the hospital. Lorraine Tilstra is the facilitator and also serves as the Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Center in Memorial Plaza.
Additional information can be obtained by calling the Cancer Resource Center at 495-7778.