THE community has been crying out for a prostate cancer nurse for three years, but it’s the local woman stepping into the role who says she’s the grateful one.
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Natasha Bissell has been appointed as Tamworth hospital’s prostate cancer specialist nurse and, once she gets the service up-and-running in the next eight weeks, she said she’d support the region’s recently diagnosed, every step of the way.
“Although people often say ‘prostate cancer is a good cancer to get, it does have good survival rates when it’s caught early’, but the word cancer is still very frightening,” Ms Bissell told The Leader.
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“It’s very frightening for them and they’re immediately thinking the worst.
“To have someone explain things in plain language and reassure them, explain what the treatment options are really takes a lot of the stress out of it.”
The specialist nurse was born and schooled in Tamworth and has worked in oncology locally for the last 12 years, so she was well aware of the desperate desire for the role.
“I’m very excited and grateful to the community for making noise and that this position is now back in Tamworth,” she said.
She said a big part of the role would be creating community awareness urging men to get tested.
The position is funded for three years by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA), but Ms Bissell said she was in Tamworth for the long haul.
The hospital’s general manager, Catharine Death, welcomed Ms Bissell into the role and said the service welcomed any initiative to improve the care of prostate cancer patients.
“We are very pleased that the PCFA has provided funding to recruit a prostate cancer nurse for Tamworth and the surrounding areas once again,” Ms Death said.
“We are fortunate to be able to partner with foundations and community groups like PCFA to deliver key positions for our community, including specialist nurses.
“The prostate cancer specialist nurse provides psychological support and assistance for men and their families and carers.
“This is particularly important as one in five males in NSW will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.” Prostate cancer accounts for almost one-third of male cancer diagnoses, but the number of deaths has decreased over the past decade.