From a start-up support group for Calgary men in 1995, Prostaid Calgary has evolved into a leading Canadian men’s health organization that provides the latest online educational resources for all aspects of prostate cancer. A registered not-for-profit charity since 2002, it has adapted to change while continuing to grow and evolve. The latest challenge is a name change from Prostaid Calgary to Prostate Cancer Canada Network-Calgary (PCCN-Calgary), adopted to show support for the vision of one united organization — Prostate Cancer Canada (PCC).
PCCN-Calgary has created a broad range of support groups to meet the varied needs of its 900+ membership. This has been possible through strong leadership, a proactive Board of Directors, dedicated and passionate volunteers and three primary objectives: 1) to support men and their families on the prostate cancer journey; 2) increase public awareness and understanding of prostate cancer; 3) provide a strong provincial (Alberta) voice in matters relating to prostate cancer.
Local efforts blend well with PCC’s national strategies. “Prostate Cancer Canada’s vision is to be a global leader in the fight against prostate cancer, and in the process earn the enthusiasm and support of Canadians,” explains Bob Shiell, President of PCCN-Calgary. “In 2008/2009, PCC raised $3.2 million for research, including funding for 17 innovative scientific projects and two clinical projects. Today, it employs 23 staff in areas such as marketing/communications, business development, human resources and finance and administration.” In Shiell’s mind, it makes sense for all support groups across Canada to tap into this national body to improve and strengthen their awareness and fundraising efforts locally. “There is power in numbers; one voice on a national stage makes our messaging more powerful to government and healthcare bodies and more attractive to sponsors.”
Bob Shiell (featured on left with Dr. Digital) is also the Managing Director of the PCCN (formerly the Canadian Prostate Cancer Network), which plays a key role in helping thousands of Canadian men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. If you want someone to talk about all aspects of prostate cancer from a layman’s perspective, Bob’s your man. He’ll also talk openly to anyone about his personal experience as a prostate cancer survivor. It’s been more than a dozen years since he was diagnosed and he’s happy to report that he’s been cancer-free for five years.
For the past 15 years, PCCN-Calgary has been a front-runner in embracing new ideas and trying different approaches to create awareness of prostate cancer, while simultaneously developing a variety of services for survivors and their families. It takes money and expertise to organize monthly meetings, peer support groups, presentations by medical experts, ad campaigns, special events and timely newsletters. For PCCN-Calgary, private donations and membership fundraising have been the backbone supporting efforts to date.
Meetings
Four groups gather monthly in Calgary’s north and south ends.
- General meeting: The big meeting (second Tuesday of every month), brings in a “big-name” speaker — e.g. a medical specialist, humorist, or diet and fitness specialist. “These keynote speakers attract the most attention for the majority of our members,” says Shiell. “These events are designed to allow members to discuss new topics about prostate cancer, network with fellow survivors and ask a lot of questions.” Each session is videotaped and posted on the website (www.prostaid.org). Shiell considers a website an absolute necessity for any organization. “If you are researching information about prostate cancer, come to our website. It’s a terrific resource for unbiased information. We’re not here to give medical advice, recommend treatments, medications or physicians, or endorse any product or therapy. We see our role as presenting the facts that allow people to make informed decisions about their health.”
- Peer support (men only): This group meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month, providing a chance for men to meet one-on-one with other members to discuss personal matters about prostate cancer.
- Women and prostate cancer (women only): Held every fourth Tuesday, these meetings are an opportunity for women to share their experiences and feelings about the effect prostate cancer has had on them, their families and their relationships. No two people’s experiences are the same.
- PCCN-Calgary Warriors (entire family): The Warriors are a compassionate group with a wealth of information for men and their families dealing with advanced prostate cancer. They meet every second Tuesday of the month.
Conveying the message
The organization puts out information to their target audiences 365 days a year. “People have short memories,” explains Shiell. “As a support group organizer, never assume the news media or new members will come calling. You have to be constantly creating awareness, to remind people that you’re there as a resource and to support them.” Over the years, PCCN-Calgary has developed a number of vehicles to carry their messages:
- Monthly newsletter: The Digital Examiner updates people on the latest news and information about prostate cancer. It’s free and has nearly 1,000 subscribers.
- Speaker’s bureau: PCCN-Calgary sends qualified speakers to meet with clubs, groups and/or companies.
- Community outreach: PCCN-Calgary has professionally designed display units for use at health fairs, shopping malls and other events. It also distributes free information cards to doctors and other healthcare professionals in southern Alberta.
- Special events: The latest was for men in their 40s, 50s and 60s who love cars. More than 150 vintage cars lined up for PCCN-Calgary’s first annual Show & Shine to help raise awareness. The event was a massive success, with coverage by local radio and television news crews and a strong public turnout.
- Mascot: Dr. Digital, PCCN-Calgary’s very tall mascot, attends a number of events to help promote awareness and encourage proactive testing for prostate cancer.
- Public relations: PCCN-Calgary hired a PR professional to help with their media communications. A multimedia campaign called “Staying Alive” appeared on radio and television as both paid advertising and PSAs (public service announcements): www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNbLPmqcLN4.
Prospects have never looked brighter for PCCN-Calgary. “We’ve generated a lot of momentum as our membership and recognition grow,” says Shiell. “This latest development with PCC and PCCN is also important for the visibility and future strength of all 120 support groups across Canada. We’ve accomplished a lot in 15 years, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what we can achieve on a national level, working with each other to achieve both local and national goals.”
Neil Bousquet, APR, is a Calgary-based freelance writer and an accredited member (APR) of the Canadian Public Relations Society.
