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First of all let me say what an excellent publication 'A Strange Place' is. Over the past few months I have recommended a number of people to download it from your website.
I guess I'm possibly stating the obvious, but one way to help distribute 'A Strange Place' might be to ensure that all of the main prostate cancer charities are aware of it online, so that they could print out hardcopies to distribute to people who do not have computers. In saying this, I realise that all of the prostate cancer charities have their own informative booklets, so they might possibly be reluctant to distribute someone else's.
I belong to a local prostate cancer support association here in the UK. It is divided into three regional groups located along the South Coast, and has a membership of around 500. Group meetings are held every couple of months. Its name is - www.pcaso.com As you can see on their website they do provide information for people newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it is nothing like as comprehensive as your booklet. I will certainly be very happy to bring to their notice the fact that your booklet is available online, possibly to be printed off and distributed to PCaSO members who do not have computer access.
We live in a very computer-centric world nowadays, and at a number of levels it's quite tough for those people who are not computer literate. Unfortunately, because many people being diagnosed with prostate cancer may be in their 60s or 70s, they are more likely to fall into the non-computer group compared with younger people.
Perhaps, in the end, the most effective way of bringing your booklet to people's attention will be through the medium of those of us who do have computers, who are happy to print out hardcopies for people who can't download it themselves. Within reason, if you know of anyone in the UK who would like a hard copy, I am happy to print one off and send it to them, if you give me contact details.
Many thanks to you for the wonderful work you do here. I wish I had known of your site before I had my surgery (not that I would have done anything different) but I was fortunate to find it during my recovery and it has been an invaluable resource ever since (just had my 3 year PSA)
It could be argued that without the internet, and the evolution of search engines like google, you wouldn't have the exposure you have now, by which I mean that you're already touching many people. Barring the internet, the primary source of information is word of mouth (how I found my surgeon), the local library, and the bookstore (I recommend Scardino's book to everyone, and the Dummies book isn't a bad intro either).
From the standpoint of word of mouth, increasing the prominence of YANA on search engines, and getting it linked from other websites, will only increase exposure. I've been told that Facebook and Twitter are the hot social media sites and that social media is the future. I realize this doesn't address the issue of those without internet access or savy, but those people will rely on advice from doctors, support groups, and friends/family with internet access so the more exposure YANA has the better. It might also be worthwhile to have yananow as .com, .net and .org - that might make it easier to find.
You might find it very difficult to get a uro's office to share the information. But, perhaps you could use the power of the internet, not to mention the contact base you have here, to compile a list of contact (e-mail) info for as many support groups as possible. A mass e-mail to them to make them all aware and I'm sure they would be willing to share the information with their members.
i would say to reach out to their adult children
that are more internet savy
somehow posting it on the web with words that would help fine it when googled
perhaps
Pamplet for a parent with prosate cancer
Aloha Terry,
Unless you have a way to access doc's, cause they are the ones that notify a man who has PCa, it is a very difficult process. For many months, I walked right by a table of literature at my HMO that described the "US TOO" meetings sponsored by the American Cancer Society for prostate cancer survivors. Neither the nurse's nor the doc made any reference to this information. I only found out about it when I walked by manned table at the rad oncology treatment center. The lady spoke first and after a brief discussion, introduced me to that pamphlet.
Joe
Many thanks for those of you who answered my post.
Some of you suggested approaching support groups, but that has proved to be counter-productive. Those who I have approached either did not respond or said they had thei own information.
The point about getting computer literate people to help their non-computer literate people is a valid one, but getting Yana to a higher position on search engines is not as easy as you might think. If you enter prostate cancer into Google there are 10,800,000 sites. The top ones have funds and resources to ensure that they are on page one. I simply don’t have those. Yana comes in at #101
But, on the other hand, since my focus is on surviving prostate cancer, if you enter prostate cancer survivors into Google there are 197,000 sites, but there is Yana at the top of the heap – quite an achievement for a small site like mine BUT, enter surviving prostate cancer and you’ll find there are “ only” 97,500 links – many to Patrick Walsh’s book – and Yana doesn’t make it until # 108!! Generally speaking, no one looks beyond the first page on a search.
The suggestion that members of this Forum – or the other prostate cancer Lists – might help by talking to their urologists and doctors seems a good idea too, but we’ve tried that and have had virtually zero response. That’s what I call The Little Red Hen Syndrome Quite simply there are no volunteers.
What I am trying now is to advertise in a local paper The Senior which has a circulation of about 600,000 throughout Australia. The advertising rates are lower than a regular paper and so I’m going to try spending about $350 for two issues and see if that produces a result. If it does, maybe I can look to finding in similar publication – perhaps with AARP in the US? Of course one problem, if this idea does work is that if it is too successful, I won’t have enough funds to print enough copies, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I’ll let you know how it goes, but thanks to you who did respond.
Aloha Terry,
One other place that would be accessable to get the word out is the religious ministry. When a man is diagnosed, he may share that information with his clergy before treatment. I did.
Joe
