Mandurah Town Bridge will cast a blue light on the foreshore this weekend in support of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.<\/p>\n
The blue light will be visible on September 6 to raise awareness for the disease and encourage local men to get tested.<\/p>\n
More than 60 other landmarks across Australia will be taking part.<\/p>\n
According to the Stargate Project conducted by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Mandurah has one of the fastest growing rates of new prostate cancer diagnoses in the country.<\/p>\n
Currently, the average rate of prostate cancer is about 40 per cent higher in Mandurah compared to the Australian average.<\/p>\n
The Mandurah Town Bridge initiative has been organised by the Mandurah Prostate Cancer Support Group in a bid to improve local awareness and connect men with much-needed support.<\/p>\n
Group leader Archie Lind said the support group aimed to raise greater awareness of the need for early detection and to connect with men in the Mandurah community in need of support.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur group provides men, their partners and families with valuable prostate cancer information and the type of support and comfort that can only come from others who have lived through the disease,\u201d Mr Lind said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently only 36 per cent of men are diagnosed with prostate cancer at Stage 1 when the disease is easiest to treat \u2014 that needs to improve. Our goal this September is to make sure more people in our Mandurah community understand the importance of early detection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia CEO Anne Savage said peer support was vital to survivorship.<\/p>\n
\u201cMembers of Mandurah Prostate Cancer Support Group know the difference that face-to-face support can make when a diagnosis of prostate cancer strikes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI strongly urge local men and their families to connect with the support group.\u201d<\/p>\n