Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

September is prostate cancer awareness month, and yesterday I had the privilege of hosting the parliamentary Big Aussie Barbie. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is dedicated to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners, families and the wider community. The Big Aussie Barbie is the PCFA's largest fund raising campaign, and it was wonderful to see so many of my parliamentary colleagues supporting this great cause. Prostate cancer accounts for approximately 30 per cent of cancers diagnosed each year in Australian men and is the second most common cause of cancer death after lung cancer. It is estimated that around 120,000 Australian men are currently living with prostate cancer.

As a wife and a mother of two boys, raising awareness of this disease is important to me. It is vital that we support men to have regular health checks and encourage them to feel comfortable talking with professionals about their health and concerns. This is a disease that can have a good prognosis if detected early when compared with other cancers. Prostate cancer has one of the highest five-year survival rates, of 92 per cent, after diagnosis. I would like to commend the PCFA on their work in raising awareness of this disease and their dedication to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men and their families. I would like to particularly thank the Hon. Jim Lloyd, Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, David Sandoe and Kathryn Jones of the PCFA, my parliamentary colleagues and members opposite for supporting yesterday's parliamentary Big Aussie Barbie.