Bulletin from Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness
Dear Doctors
I want to inform you all of our approval and first “Life on ADT” in person support group scheduled in the Audie Murphy VHA San Antonio for July 19th at 3:00 PM.
We have finalized the details with the Oncology and Urology groups in San Antonio after an initial introduction and discussion at last January’s Society of Government Service Urologists “Kimbrough” meeting. The program will be a pilot for implementation of an ongoing service to the VA in San Antonio and we hope to offer this important education program and patient support program throughout all VHA Medical Centers in time.
The program is being facilitated by Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness (VPCa) and the instructor for the first program is Richard Wassersug PhD, who developed the program in Canada with Lauren Walker PhD. Many of you know a little about the program but the benefits have been proven through quantitative studies in Canada over the past 10 years. Today there is nothing like this program offered for patients and care givers who are being placed on ADT for prostate cancer. The tangible benefits of this support and education are side effect mitigation through proper diet and exercise guidance, education of care givers on how to identify cognitive decline, and depression onset, and it offers patients a support group to reach out to for help.
Attached is the DRAFT presentation / meeting guide for your review and we are happy to take any comments or suggestions any of you might have. There is also attached the study report from the analysis of the programs impact for patients.
We intend to have a virtual access to the meeting for those of you across the VHA and elsewhere that want to observe the session.
We have 10 to 12 patients and their caregivers signed up for the session and it will also be attended by local medical staff for evaluation. There will also be a survey provided to the patients and caregivers for completion prior to their departure. We also distribute the 3rd edition of the “Life on ADT” book which is now available in book stores and online through Amazon, but each patient will receive a free copy.
We hope you will all attend the virtual session and provide your feedback in order to maximize the effectiveness of this Support Group and educational program.
Sincerely
Mike “Bing” Crosby
FOUNDER & CEO
Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness Inc.
m: (571) 215-2715
e: mike.crosby@vpca.vet