Copeland MP Trudy Harrison attended a drop-in event this week aimed at setting up a cancer support group in Millom.
The event was held in the town’s library and the first meeting of the Millom and District Prostate Cancer Support Group will now take place on Wednesday, September 11, 7.30pm, at the town’s rugby league club.
Figures show that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer – the most common type of cancer among men – and the group plans to create a support network which reaches out to people who have been diagnosed as well as their partners, family and friends.
Tony O’Malley, secretary of the Millom group, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010. After five years of monitoring and then treatment in Manchester, Tony is now cancer free. He said: “The two aims in my life now are to impress on men the importance of early testing and diagnosis, followed by treatment if necessary and to raise awareness of prostate cancer support groups.
“For a long time I was not aware of a local support group. As a result of this it was not until 2016 that I became a member of Furness Prostate Cancer Support Group. We need to get men to listen and get tested, the main problem is that men don’t talk!”
Mrs Harrison said: “I really do commend Tony O’Malley and David Nutter who are committing their time to help people in a similar situation, talking about the variations of treatments and help available and bringing partners, family members and friends along. The earlier the diagnosis, the easier prostate cancer will be to treat but there are many decisions to make, a support group will make a big difference to families.”
