Page 5472 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 16 November 2010
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innovative and world-class research. We do not know what causes prostate cancer, but we do know that it is on the increase. The research currently being funded by the foundation targets a wide range of issues. To counter the increase in prostate cancer diagnosed, research has been conducted into possible genetic triggers and links between vitamin D deficiency and the spread of cancer and boosting the immune system to allow more effective treatment.
In the war on the cancer itself, research currently funded by the foundation is developing anti-tumour drugs, detection triggers for the clues that highlight the differences between harmful and non-harmful cancers, complementary and lifestyle therapies for men living with prostate cancer and adult stem gene therapy treatment for those with advanced cancers.
It is clear that the foundation is doing amazing work. There is also much more that can be done. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia receives limited funding from the government and relies heavily on corporate sponsorship and community activities. By the age of 85, one in five men will be diagnosed. This number is staggering and just highlights how hard we must work as a community to ensure that there is support for research in this area.
I certainly congratulate the minister and all the other members of the Assembly that attended the barbecue on 24 September hosted at King O’Malley’s. That was supported by the President of the ACT Cancer Support Group, Peter Daley, Jim Clough and the rest of the members. I pass on to them my congratulations. I know, Madam Deputy Speaker, that you have an affinity with that group and have done work in this area also.
Movember also raises awareness and funds for beyondblue. The mission of this organisation is to provide a national focus and community leadership to increase the capacity of the broader Australian community to prevent depression and respond effectively. It is an often quoted statistic but an important one: one in five Australians will suffer from mental illness at some point in their lives. Mental illness, including depression, which is highlighted by beyondblue, can lead to a level of disability for its sufferers equivalent to other chronic diseases.
In men, the issue can be even more severe, essentially because our culture currently means that men are unwilling to admit to or identify the symptoms of mental illness. Furthermore, they are reluctant to seek treatment. Research shows that men are more likely than women to identify the symptoms of depression rather than highlight the cause. For example, they identify significant weight gain or loss, sleeping problems or digestive upsets rather than describing how they feel. This means that men will seek treatment for these symptoms without addressing the underlying cause. Often a GP is unable to address the mental health issues at the centre of the problem, because they are never alerted to the identifying triggers by the male patients.
One in 10 men experience anxiety disorders and are more likely than women to treat the issues with alcohol or drugs rather than addressing the problems. The paper published by the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry in August this year showed that young people did not seek treatment for mental health issues, but are
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