Background
Two members of the Provincial Team have recently been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. This was thankfully picked up early via a PSA test and, following surgery, they are now on the path to full recovery.
You can see Stuart’s story in the September edition of The Craftsmen here:
All men aged 40 years and over are recommended to have a regular PSA test. A PSA test is a blood test to help check for prostate conditions such as Prostate Cancer or an enlarged prostate.
Did You Know?
1 in 8 men will suffer from Prostate Cancer
52,000 men a year are diagnosed with the condition
12,000 men per annum in the UK will die from Prostate Cancer
There are not always obvious symptoms
A simple blood test can help early detection, which increases survival rates
Raising Awareness
As well as the Craftsmen article in September, Stuart is the subject of a UGLE CraftCast episode that can now be listened to here.
In this heart-warming episode, the hosts meet with Stuart Jones, well known to us as our Provincial Grand Junior Warden and Prostate Cancer survivor.
Stuart was listening to an episode earlier this year in Season 2, featuring Frank Tiller. This inspired him to take his own health more seriously. That decision led to the early detection of his aggressive Prostate Cancer, which was successfully treated before it could spread.
Now on the road to recovery, Stuart joins the CraftCast Team to talk about the importance of regular PSA testing, his journey through treatment, and how he’s paying it forward by raising awareness in our community.
This led to the Province setting up a local PSA Testing Day in November at the Masonic Hall in Hereford. A local campaign was run to raise awareness and book appointments for the event.
PSA Testing Day
Herefordshire Freemasons partnered with Graham Fulford Trust who run PSA Testing events. We jointly ran a very successful testing event on 16th November. The cost of the test was subsidised by the HMCA so the cost was only £10 per person.
Over 120 men were tested. A large percentage of attendees were not Freemasons, emphasising our commitment to local community support.
We intend to run a similar event next year as part of an ongoing commitment.
Ongoing Support
Some of the tests from the day came back requiring follow up by the patient and they have been contacted directly by the Graham Fulford Trust.
We are therefore raising awareness of the Herefordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group who can offer ongoing support while men go through the next part of their journey. They have regular meetings to offer support, raise awareness and strive for improvement of health service activities.
