13 January 2025
PALS Prostate Cancer Support Group in Adelaide is helping young men through prostate cancer. Organiser Mark Godfrey shares his story.
Mark Godfrey thought he was far too young to get prostate cancer, which is why it came as a huge shock when he was diagnosed at just 51 years old.
“I made a joke to my GP at the end of a routine checkup about feeling like I was getting old because passing water had recently gotten more difficult,” he said.
“I never thought it could be cancer.”
After further investigation, in 2022, Mark was diagnosed with locally advanced aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score 9 (5+4)) and his world turned upside down.
What followed was a radical prostatectomy in December 2022 followed by ADT (hormone therapy) and 39 sessions of radiation. After a test in December 2023 showed Mark has become castration resistant, he started Darolutamide which he’ll be on for the rest of his life.
After experiencing first-hand the isolation that can come with a diagnosis, Mark teamed up with Neil Dickinson who was also diagnosed with prostate cancer at just 45 to launch a new support group in Adelaide.
The group, PALS (Prostate Awareness and Lifelong Support), aimed to provide a place for those diagnosed in their 40s and 50s to find mateship and support to help make their journey that bit easier.
“We wanted a bunch of guys around our own ages who were dealing with similar issues to us. We wanted a support group of guys that could become mates that were easy to talk to,” Mark shared.
“I guess for most of the guys in our group, all in their 40’s and 50’s, it is initially just dealing with the shock of being diagnosed with prostate cancer at such a young age.
“After that, it’s facing the treatments whilst still trying to work and raise young families.
“For those of us diagnosed with more advanced or aggressive cancers, it’s the knowledge that it will likely mean that our lives are drastically shortened. We are just hoping to get as much time as possible.
“Even for those who are diagnosed early, there are still ongoing concerns, such as recurrence, long term side effects of treatments, lifestyle changes and changes with relationships, social lives and even changed sense of self.
“Mentally it is difficult for anyone, but having a group where everyone is in a similar situation of fighting cancer at a young age is incredibly helpful.”
PALS first launched in June 2024 and has been meeting regularly since. The group wrapped up the year with a ‘Too Young for Prostate Cancer’ BBQ hosted by GenesisCare and supported by PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse Narelle Wadsworth.
Looking ahead to 2025, Mark said they hoped to grow the group and raise more awareness about younger men getting tested for prostate cancer.
“Delays in testing can lead to devastating delays in diagnosis which can prove particularly costly for men with more aggressive cancers,” he said.
“Many men don't experience symptoms until the cancer is advanced, meaning a diagnosis at this stage often means it is incurable. It’s important to realise that prostate cancer does not just affect older men.”
Mark encouraged anyone interested in joining to reach out via tooyoungforpc@gmail.com or visit www.palsadelaide.com.
PCFA have over 130 Support Groups across Australia. For more information visit www.pcfa.org.au/support.
