If jumping into a giant pair of Y-fronts can bring attention to the serious issue of prostate cancer, then a bunch of Illawarra businessmen are happy to oblige.
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Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, former Dragon’s stalwart Rod Wishart and popular radio host Marty Haynes were among those wearing the pants at the campaign launch on Monday afternoon.
Also present was Shellharbour prostate cancer survivor Peter Brown, who knows only too well the importance of getting checked.
“I was diagnosed with prostate cancer four years ago,” he said.
“I’d been on blood pressure medication and had my bloods taken every six months for that, when my GP noticed a rise in my PSA (prostate specific antigen) level.
“I didn’t have any symptoms, apart from experiencing more frequent urination which seemed to have gone away, so I didn’t think there’d be an issue. But a biopsy confirmed it.”
Mr Brown, now 60, opted to undergo surgery and – with the cancer contained to the prostate – had no need of further treatment.
“While it’s devastating to get a cancer diagnosis, I think that if men are proactive in getting checked and tackling the issues early, my experience shows the prognosis can be good,” he said.
According to the Cancer Council, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in Australia and the third most common cause of cancer death; with more than 18,000 Australian men expected to be diagnosed in 2018.
Councillor Bradbery urged men, especially those over 50 or with a family history, to get checked: “I know men who worry about having the checkup but it’s really important because it’s one of the biggest killers of men”.
Radiologist Rajeev Jyoti, of Wollongong Diagnostics, said advances in MRI technologies meant prostate issues could be diagnosed more effectively.