14 April 2023
"Hope for the Future": Rod shares his story
In 2019 in his role as the President of the Royal South Australia Regiment Association, Rod Beames wrote to the association’s members:
“I wish to let it be known that I can now confirm my health is in a spot of bother, but I'm fighting on. After every test imaginable, my doctor has informed me that I have a very aggressive form of prostate cancer and it has spread outside my prostate.”
So began his battle to “neutralize” the cancer and minimise it spreading further.
Since then, he’s undergone chemo, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy, with the strong support of those around him.
“In my "heyday", I took time out and visited many members in hospital, not for one minute ever expecting to be on the receiving end, but this small effort has been repaid a thousand times over. On learning of my own diagnosis, many men have opened up about their own experiences and its comforting to know that, although we are all different, I'm not the first or only one to have gone down this road,” he says.
Continuing as he started, he remains determined to prevail, and has recently registered in our EVOLUTION Phase II Clinical Trial for men with advanced prostate cancer.
The game-changing trial aims to test the effectiveness of the nuclear medicine LuPSMA given in combination with two immunotherapy drugs known as ipilimumab and nivolumab, with the aim to find a powerful new way to combat deadly forms of prostate cancer.
Around 100 patients will take part in the study, with 51 men now registered for participation at seven different sites around Australia.
Rod recently spoke about his diagnosis and treatment at a meeting of our Westside Prostate Cancer Support Group.
“I’m so happy to be a part of research, and the work that’s being done in this area,” Rod says.
“The advancements in treatment of prostate cancer have drastically improved since I was first diagnosed and I’m more than happy to speak about my experiences to anyone who will listen.”
The group’s leader Andrew Luciani applauded Rod’s optimism and resolve.
“It was a very refreshing to learn about Rod’s experiences and I know all attendees were fascinated with his insight. And the important thing is he is doing well and there is lots of hope for the future,” Andrew said.
It’s a point Rod wholeheartedly agrees with.
“You have to keep living,” he says. “With prostate cancer, you have to keep enjoying life as much as you can.”
To learn more about the trial or our Support Network, call us today on 1800 22 00 99.
Click here for a poster presentation about EVOLUTION.
