5 minutes Morag Idan

Prostate Scotland and Maggie’s Highlands joint venture to help and support men navigate prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Scotland and over 300 men in NHS Highland and Argyll were diagnosed with it last year[i].  With men having a one in ten chance of developing it across their lifetime, prostate cancer is an important issue in Scotland.

Prostate Scotland is delighted to be working with Maggie’s Highlands to offer a new service for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.   The service gives men and their families across the Highlands access to a Cancer Support Specialist for face-to-face, phone or video call appointments, as part of Prostate Scotland’s COMPASS Project that helps men navigate prostate cancer.  Whether it’s talking through a prostate cancer diagnosis, discussing treatment options, chatting about side effects or the impact prostate cancer has had on life, the new service is here to help.

Adam Gaines, Director of Prostate Scotland commented “Finding out you have prostate cancer, or living with prostate cancer can change your life.  We recently carried out research across Scotland with men who have experienced prostate cancer to learn more about their experiences.  Encouragingly, most men were satisfied with the medical care and treatment they received, but there was a clear need for more support for men and their families on living with the disease.  Our new service with Maggie’s Highlands will ensure men across the area have somewhere to turn to for help and support with prostate cancer when they need it most“.

Stephen Bird who lives in Sutherland said “As someone who has had prostate cancer – I know the value that information and support about topics such as treatment decisions and managing side effects can bring. I believe this new service is a very positive step and will be of real value to men with prostate cancer across the Highlands. My message is that if you have been diagnosed with or have prostate cancer, which can be an uncertain time for many, and have a question or need that wee bit of extra help or knowledge don’t hesitate to seek it out’.

Maggie’s Highlands has been providing support for people living with cancer across the Highlands for 15 years. Built in the grounds of Raigmore Hospital Maggie’s Highlands is a warm and welcoming place, with qualified professionals on hand to offer an evidence-based core programme of support that has been shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

You can find out more information about the free service on Prostate Scotland’s website prostatescotland.org.uk/help-and-support-for-you.  For an appointment please call Maggie’s Highlands on 01463 706306 or email highlands@maggies.org

 

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Notes to Editors

  •  For further information please contact Prostate Scotland at info@prostatescotland.org.uk or 0131 603 8660
  • Prostate cancer is the most common cancer amongst men in Scotland, with a lifetime chance of one in ten men developing it. In 2018 there were 4193 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Scotland, and 306 were from NHS Highland and Argyll [i]. Survival rates amongst men with prostate cancer have encouragingly doubled over the past two decades with 80% of men with prostate cancer now surviving it [ii]. Projections by the NHS show that the diagnosis of men with prostate cancer is likely to rise by up to 35% between now and 2027 [iii].
  • Prostate Scotland is a registered Scottish charity no SC037494. It was set up in 2006 as a Scottish charity to develop awareness of prostate disease, to support men and their families/ partners with the disease through providing advice and information and to advance treatment and research into prostate disease. Its aim is to reach out across Scotland to create greater awareness amongst men and their families/partners about prostate disease and to advance treatment. It has established an award winning website  www.prostatescotland.org.uk providing a wide range of information about prostate disease and treatments, as well as providing information and advice about prostate disease to men and their families across Scotland and is also taking forward the COMPASS project to support and help men and their families navigate living with prostate cancer. In 2010 the charity won a national award for its impact on community health and in 2013 and 2015 was commended in the British Medical Association Patient information Awards, and in 2017 was awarded Scottish Health Charity of the Year in the Charity Champions Awards.

[i] See Cancer Incidence and Prevalence in Scotland to December 2018, Public Health Scotland

[ii] Cancer in Scotland: ISD, NHS National Services Scotland, September 2011

[iii] See Scottish Cancer Registry May 2016 and Cancer Incidence in in Scotland (2014), and Information Services Division NHS National Services Scotland November 2015