The Support Group is a self-help organisation which offers assistance to men in the ACT and surrounding Region who have prostate cancer as well as to their families and friends.

The Group is informal and non denominational and provides practical support to men with prostate cancer through:

• regular meetings at which members have an opportunity to discuss all aspects of the disease and any problems they may be experiencing

• dissemination of news and information relating to treatment and other issues of importance to members

• a network of contacts that men can get in touch with at any time should they feel the need to speak with someone who may be able to help.

The Support Group does not undertake formal counselling but men attending meetings of the Group are usually surprised, and buoyed, to discover that a diagnosis of prostate cancer need not be a totally negative experience. The example of other men in a similar situation apparently enjoying a good quality of life can do much to dispel the uncertainty which attaches to all forms of cancer.

While members of the Support Group are not medically qualified and the Group does not offer medical advice, members have personal experience of many of the procedures (and the side effects which may accompany them) employed in the treatment and management of prostate cancer. There is, therefore, almost always someone to turn to for reassurance.

In common with cancer patients generally, men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are, in most cases, then faced with the daunting task of having to make decisions about treatment at a stage when most are still in a state of shock and have little knowledge about the disease or what it will mean for them.

Being able to talk about the options with others who have been there before and, in the process, gain a better understanding of the disorder and possible treatment outcomes, can do a lot to reduce stress during this period and help men arrive at decisions that they will be comfortable with. The fellowship within the Support Group, resulting from a shared experience, is a positive psychological factor for most men.

Some men may find that their needs for support are met by attending meetings of the Group only at the time of diagnosis or if a problem arises during subsequent treatment or management of their conditions. Others derive ongoing satisfaction by being able to put their experience to good use by maintaining a continuing involvement with the Group. The degree of interaction is entirely up to the individual.

Along with more than 30 other groups throughout Australia, the Support Group is affiliated with the Sydney-based Association of Prostate Cancer Support Groups. The Association encourages and assists in the formation of support groups, and provides a clearing-house for the exchange of information between groups. It acts at a national level as a voice for men with prostate cancer.

For the convenience of those who might wish to attend, the Support Group holds two meetings each month (except December and January) at The Canberra Hospital:

• on the second Wednesday at 12.30pm

• on the third Wednesday at 7.30pm

The main reception desk at the Hospital will direct visitors to the venues.

Families and friends are welcome at the Group's meetings which run for one and a half to two hours.

The Support Group does not have joining or membership fees but a gold coin donation is requested at meetings to cover the cost of refreshments and other miscellaneous expenditure.

Contact Graham Nicholls for further information about the group.

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