I HAVE worked for Cancer Care since 1992 at Slynedales in Lancaster as a driver, transporting clients from all over the region to therapies at either of the CancerCare centres Kendal, Lancaster, The Christie in Manchester or the Rosemere Cancer centre in Preston.

In 2005 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had to undergo various tests to establish the severity of the cancer.

I kept a diary of my visits to consultants and the various test sessions over a period of months, ending with my decision to have what was called then a radical prostatectomy.

I asked one of the cancer nurse specialists (CNS) if they would be interested in the diary, which contained positive comments. A few weeks later I received a letter asking if I would be interested in helping set up a patient-led group similar to the groups that ladies have for breast cancer care.

Newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients were contacted. We had our first meeting at Slynedales, with fingers crossed, hoping maybe a dozen might turn up. On the night we had 75 through the doors - that included both the blokes and their partners.

We have settled to a membership of 45 on the books. Some folks come and take what comfort and information we can give, just staying for a few months, while others have stayed the course since our first meeting.

Our aim is support for the newly diagnosed and also to spread the word about the need to be aware of just what the prostate does.

Ladies are quite savvy about their internal workings - men are not, tending to take the line that if we don’t talk about it, it will go away.

I am hoping to get the message across to some Kendal men. Current figures are that one in eight men will fall victim to some prostate issue - Kendal isn't any different.

I know some of you do attend CancerCare at the Lakes Centre in Kendal but what we are trying to do is set up a prostate support group based in Kendal, meeting on the first Friday of the month at 10am.

In addition to monthly meetings we stand in supermarkets waving our banner. We have talked to religious groups and Costain, the Morecambe bypass constructors and have even talked to a couple of groups of Kendal council workers.

Male and female we all have dads. Dads are blokes and blokes have prostates. So our message is: Save a dad

Anyone interested should contact the Lakes Centre at Kendal on 01539 735800.

Den Bray

Lancaster