When Perth brothers, Ray and Frank Lane, were diagnosed with prostate cancer within a year of each other, they knew they needed to take action to ensure more blokes were aware of their risks and had access to support if they were diagnosed.
Prostate cancer first impacted the Lane family when Ray and Frank's father was diagnosed with the disease in 1990.
Twenty-nine years later in 2019, after noticing "a queue forming behind me every time I went to the urinals at the footy", Ray booked an appointment with his GP. Two days before Christmas, Ray got the news he had prostate cancer at age 63.
"I learnt that if your father or brother has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk doubles. If two of more close male relatives have been diagnosed, your risk increases five-fold," he shared.
"So, promptly after I was diagnosed, I rounded up my three brothers, brothers-in-law and cousins and their adult sons to get a PSA test."
As a result, in mid-2020, his older brother Frank was also diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 66.
"I had started experiencing problems with going to the toilet - urgency and slow flow - but my PSA was still at 2.0. It wasn't until I advised the GP that my younger brother and father had had prostate cancer, that he sent me for further investigation," Frank said.
"Despite a low PSA, after a MRI and biopsy, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer with a Gleason 7 (4+3). Letting the GP know about my family history saved my life."
Both men underwent a radical prostatectomy and continue to undergo regular monitoring.
Instead of letting the diagnoses set them back, Ray and Frank have channelled their energy into helping other blokes who were going through the same experience they have.
They're now both dedicated members of the Ocean Reef Prostate Cancer Support Group, with Ray having led the group since 2021, and are regular volunteers with PCFA at local fundraising and awareness events, including Classic Cars & Coffee.
Ray and Frank both agreed that having a support network around you after a diagnosis can make all the difference.
"When I heard the word cancer, I felt the world was collapsing on top of me and felt alone. My GP suggested I attend the Ocean Reef Support Group and at the first meeting, there were men who had been there, done that, and come out the other side," Ray said.
