On a phone? Turn it sideways to view the tables below.
This is the beginning of a repository of resources for men recovering from prostate cancer and their partners and loved ones. Please bear with me as I build it – will be a bit lopsided till I get time to complete it.
| Type | Helplines and support groups | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Support group | RALP Cape Town Peer Support Group | Most active prostate cancer support group based in South Africa. Good supportive resource. Email based. |
| Support group | Prostate Cancer UK Support Community | Excellent, generous group, active enough to get responses quite fast. Lots of sub-sections to choose from. Online forum based |
|
Helpline |
Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa | Access local information and help by calling the CEO direct on 083-616-0162 or ceo@prostate-ca.co.za |
| Live conversation support group | Global Recovering Men circle on prostate cancer and men’s sexual health | Open to everybody affected by prostate cancer and men’s sexual health, all genders and sexual identities. Monthly scheduled calls |
|
Australia national support coordinator |
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia | Direct support and connection to community resources in Australia at 1800 22 00 99 / enquiries@pcfa.org.au |
| Facebook group | Sex, Love and Prostate Cancer | Excellent, very open global conversation including about 50-50 prostate cancer survivors and their partners. Private group you have to apply to join |
| Facebook group | Prostate cancer and gay, bisexual and transgender men | Generous and supportive space for anybody born with a prostate and beyond heterosexual or cisgendered identity |
| Patient guide, info and support groups | Prostate Cancer Foundation USA | Excellent downloadable guide, readable relevant research, listing of US-based support groups. |
On a phone? Turn it sideways to view these tables better.
| Type | Pelvic Floor Physiotherapists & related services | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare professionals | MySexualHealth.co.za | South Africa: Excellent nationwide network of health professionals including a number of pelvic floor specialist physiotherapists |
| Healthcare professionals | Complete Physiotherapy and Men’s Health | Western Australia: I reckon Dr Jo Milios, co-owner of this practice, is a world leader in addressing men’s sexual health and prostate cancer recovery issues |
|
Men’s Pelvic Floor specialist physiotherapist |
Pierre Roscher Physiotherapist – in person in Brisbane | Queensland, Australia: when still in South Africa, he helped me make advanced breakthroughs in addressing erectile dysfunction after prostate surgery. |
| Men’s Pelvic Floor specialist physiotherapist | Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions – Stuart Baptist | New South Wales, Australia: Recommended to me by a fellow prostate cancer survivor in Sydney. |
| Specialist massage and bodywork | Male Pelvic Floor – advanced massage and bodywork | California, USA: Jeff Gibson is one of the pioneers of men’s bodywork, massage and pelvic floor health |
| Type | How common is prostate cancer? | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Academic paper | Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer (2019)by Prashanth Rawla | Up to date, global figures. Over 1.2 million new cases a year |
|
News article |
Prostate overtakes breast as ‘most common cancer’ in England – BBC News, 2020 | Useful background about how the word gets out |
| Type | Being in good relationship with cancer – and your partner | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Kindle e-book | Embroidered Cancer Comic by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin | Soft, loving, wry and above all humorous in the face of adversity. A lovely gift |
| Type | Resources for sex and intimacy after prostate cancer | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Website | ATouchySubject.com | Informative, down to earth information specifically for men recovering sexual health after prostate cancer |
| Support group | Prostate Cancer UK Support Community – living with cancer – sex and relationships | Generous, open, supportive, informative peer support group |
| Academic paper | Relationship and sexual adaptation to erectile dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment | Adaptation to our new normal is the number one requirement for regaining happiness after prostate cancer – for men and our partners. |
| Academic paper | Sexual changes after prostate cancer treatment – gay men’s experience | Forthright, down to earth, practical regardless of your sexual orientation. See also my blog post Learning from Gay Men |
| Personal tips | Using a Vacurect pump to support sexual intercourse | More intimate, practical and personal details about using a vacuum pump for sex with a partner than in the related blog post |
| Personal tips | The last 5% of hardness can be the sweetest | More than two years on, some practical reflections on ways to get back to enjoyable sex as partial erectile function returns |
| Personal tips | Practical senior sex in our 70s and 80s with pump and vaginal moisturiser | 59 years together, this couple shares beautiful, frank and inspiring tips from their joyful, inventive and active sex life. More on their relationship in the related blog post |
| Personal tips | Using a Manta for penile rehab and pleasure | Don’t just rely on drugs like Viagra or Cialis to recover from ED after prostate cancer. Take matters into your own hands |
| Type | Resources for penile rehabilitation | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Personal tips | Field notes on using a Vacurect VED for penile rehabilitation (Mish’s experience) | Some of the practical details not covered in blog posts. |
| Action Pack Programme | Comprehensive Penile Rehabilitation Program professional package includes videos, one-on-one consultation, vacuum pump and more | Extensive information, personal consultation, advice and practical resource kit from the very experienced Clinical Sexologist/Nurse Practitioner Melissa Hadley Barrett |
| Type | Understanding the science of erectile function | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Medical science | The Central Mechanisms of Sexual Function by Irwin Goldstein, MD |
Very readable introduction to the exquisite complexity of the science |
| Type | Online courses opening new pleasure pathways | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Video-based training workshop with supporting materials | Soft Penis Pleasure Masterclass | Practical, playful and inspiring invitation for men and their partners into new forms of erectionless love making. My review in this post |
| Video-based training course with extensive support materials | Connection and Cancer Reclaiming intimacy and desire | Six week course for couples affected by cancer, facilitates deep change together and applies to any kind of cancer |
P
| Type | Bigger picture | Why this resource? |
|---|---|---|
| Personal recovery blog | Strokened – how brain recovers from damage | A deep, personal, revealing invitation into a bigger form of recovery than most prostate cancer survivors have to deal with. From my friend who had a stroke four years ago. |