Telephone Tales
Ever wondered what happens at The Prostate Cancer Charity’s Helpline? We caught up with Tania, the Charity’s Lead Helpline Nurse, and asked her a few questions about her job and the importance of Awareness Week.
What happens when someone calls?
When someone rings in, the most important thing that we can do is to listen. We need to be able to quickly build a relationship with the caller and build up trust – we need them to feel comfortable talking to us. Only then can we help.
How important is the Helpline?
To someone who is worried about prostate cancer, the helpline can be invaluable. We put people’s minds at rest, enable them to make informed decisions, tell them about current research and comfort them when needed.
What happened during Awareness Week?
Well, we took a huge amount of calls. To me, this really proves what a huge success the week was. Many callers had seen articles in newspapers on prostate cancer or heard something on the radio.
Who called?
It was mostly men who contacted us, but also partners, wives, daughters and female friends too – people who were concerned about a loved one. Many of the callers were worried about symptoms they’d been experiencing. Others called to discuss their treatment options, to ask about research and to request more information.
How important is it to raise awareness?
There are still so many men out there who know nothing about prostate cancer. And because 1 in 11 men are at risk of getting the disease, I find that a real worry. Prostate cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK. In fact, nearly 32,000 new cases occur each year. But early diagnosis saves lives. And that means, raising awareness is a must.
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