The two main features of this site are:
Providing
information that all men diagnosed with prostate cancer should have before they choose a treatment.
Giving
access to the stories of more than a thousand survivors, some diagnosed more than
ten years ago. Reading the survivors stories is usually regarded as very helpful
in the decision making process. But
the maximum value can be gained from these stories if you have a clear understanding
of the main aspects of the disease.
Before
going on to read the stories, please consider following the five initial steps
in this part of the site. That will give you a greater ability to gain value from
the stories. The steps start with this page - DON'T PANIC - and then go on to
GOOD NEWS! : DIAGNOSIS : SURVIVING : TREATMENT CHOICES Each of these steps is
linked to the next.
If you wish to go directly
to the stories click on the link SURVIVOR STORIES in the header of this page.
This is the first step:
DON'T PANIC
Fear is a dreadful emotion.
It stops us thinking logically. It makes us rush into doing things.
A
prostate cancer diagnosis is a fearful thing. Everything we have ever heard, all
the half-forgotten stories, come crashing down on us. We become numb. As
one of our mentors said: "...at the doctor's room, the last thing I remember
was the word 'cancer'!" When Robert Young was diagnosed he compared a
prostate cancer diagnosis to being dropped, without your consent, into a new country.
A country where the language, customs, terrain, roads and rules are all foreign.
You are in a Strange Place, and it's frightening.
Hard as it may seem, you
must not panic. You must put fear behind you. You can do this by gaining knowledge. The
dragons under the bed disappear when the light goes on. As you gain knowledge, you will
find that although you should be concerned about the diagnosis, you will lose the blind
fear and the panic which goes with it. So follow the four successive steps, starting with
the link below and gain the knowledge to help you regain control of your life.
Once you have been along those steps - or before you start, you might like to read
A Strange Place: This is a simple Information Guide to Prostate Cancer
written by Terry Herbert, long time prostate cancer survivor and owner of this
site. It was developed primarily as a booklet for men with no access to the Internet,
and is a useful source of basic information. You can read the booklet at A
Strange Place There is also a printable pdf version available at this link,
but as it is 32 pages in all, for those who don't want to print it out, a hard
copy is available, free of charge. Click on the cover [left] or mail us
giving details of your postal address.
As
mentioned above this website contains the stories of men who are survivors of Prostate
Cancer and who are now Mentors, primarily for newly-diagnosed men and those who care for
or about them. You will see from their tales that there is, indeed, life after Prostate
Cancer and that You Are Not Alone Now. These men and their partners are here to help you
through the hard times - for they have all been there before you.
This
is the first of the four successive steps to better understand your diagnosis
- NOW GO TO THE NEXT STEP - SOME
GOOD NEWS
