Get more involved?
For people living with prostate cancer, the comfort, advice and support offered by our volunteers is priceless. We talk to volunteer, Geoff Jacobs, about his experiences – and the reason why he became a Networker.
About nine years ago, Geoff Jacobs had a standard health screening which revealed a high PSA count. Although this was by no means a definitive indicator of the presence of prostate cancer, the constant fluctuation of the count meant he had to monitor it by having regular tests.
‘I wanted to bury my head in the sand,’ Geoff said. ‘I would have preferred to do nothing about the situation. But three years ago, my urologist suggested that a biopsy would provide more conclusive results.’ An initial biopsy gave Geoff the clear, but after his PSA count suddenly shot up, a second was performed. This one revealed prostate cancer.
Geoff discussed the options with his oncologist, who suggested that radiotherapy was the best way forward. Geoff underwent 37 sessions. The treatment was really quite tiring. Geoff had to eat lots of stodgy food to combat diarrhoea, gaining a stone in weight. However early last year, Geoff’s PSA levels were tested and recorded at a very satisfactory 1.3. They’ve remained there ever since, showing his cancer is under control.
‘By becoming a Networker,’ says Geoff, ‘I want to help lighten people’s load – to show them that, despite everything, something positive can come out of it.’
Counting his blessings
Despite all he’s been through, Geoff is upbeat. ‘Things could have been a lot worse,’ he says. And it’s this knowledge – that for many men, prostate can be a great deal more traumatic – that has led Geoff to become a Networker.
His new role involves talking to anyone affected by prostate cancer – men suffering with the disease as well as families struggling to cope with a loved one’s illness. For example, while his own experience with doctors was generally positive, he’s heard of other men with prostate cancer who’ve been given blunt, unnecessarily graphic descriptions of the treatments involved – something that gives them enormous anxiety. And because Geoff knows what it’s like to go through it, he feels he can truly empathise and offer invaluable help and guidance.
Become a Networker
Networkers can really help people living with prostate cancer – and their families. By talking about their personal experience of the disease, they can help people to realise they’re not alone. This can bring enormous comfort. They can also offer vital support and understanding. Networkers talk on the phone or via email or letters.
If you’d like to become a Networker, please call our Helpline Nurses on 0800 074 8383 for more information.
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