We are proud to announce that we now have closer working links with Prost8 - a charity dedicated to helping newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients access the best available treatment.

GFCT founder, Graham Fulford MBE, said "I was introduced to Paul Sayer, founder of Prost8, at BAUS last year and was immediately impressed by his passion, knowledge and determined approach to helping men get the best treatment.”  

Having been diagnosed himself with prostate cancer back in 2018, Paul had been told (typically) that he had one of two treatment options: Surgery or Radiotherapy. Graham went on to say, "Whilst like all newly diagnosed men, he was in a slight state of shock, he was strong and organised enough to do his own research as to whether this was right and decided what the consultants really meant was that's all they could offer, not all of what was actually available.  

This research led him to discover a relatively new treatment called Focal Therapy, which in his case meant HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound). He managed to find and be seen by Professor Hashim Ahmed at Imperial College for this treatment which reduces the nasty potential side effects of the other two radical treatments he was offered locally by up to 80%.  

A secondary benefit is that the procedure is performed as a simple day case avoiding a long stay in hospital and prolonged recovery times, not to mention minimal risk of ED or urinary incontinence. Paul soon fully recovered and seven years on, he has had no further issues.  

Following the procedure Paul teamed up with Prof Ahmed and the late MP Sir David Amess to launch the Prost8 charity with the aim of helping as many more men as possible to have access to Focal Therapy and other treatment options. Since its launch, the charity has handled over 1000 enquiries from men with prostate concerns and have managed to assist more than 200 of those to access better treatments than they were being offered including HIFU, cryotherapy, IRE (irreversible electroporation) and sometimes brachytherapy or even just active surveillance.  

There's a view amongst many eminent clinicians that less invasive Focal Therapies have a major part to play in offering men the best treatment options going forward, but like many things in medicine and indeed life in general, there's a real postcode lottery.  Almost all NHS facilities for these treatments are in the South of England, so men in the Midlands and the North frequently missing out. Even more worrying is that the devolved nations (Scotland, Wales and N.I.) do not offer these treatments and refuse to refer men across the border to access it in England.  

With a new centre offering Focal Therapy opening in March at Northampton General Hospital, there's a fantastic opportunity for men living in the Midlands and surrounding areas to take advantage of this revolutionary treatment. Indeed, having been recently diagnosed myself with Prostate Cancer, it's one of two treatment options I'm actively considering."  

If any newly diagnosed man would like to contact Paul and his team at Prost8 to check suitability for focal treatment, visit prost8.org.uk/help