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You forgot to mention one very important improvement in the past fourteen years in the lives of those of us diagnosed with prostate cancer: We have this web site to help us, to guide us, and to support us on our journey.
I, for one, am very grateful. It may be lost on some of the visitors to this site (but certainly not me) that one of the best things about it is that it is OUR site. There is no advertising. There are no organizations or corporations with their sometimes self-serving agendas lurking in the background.
I am in awe of the work Terry does to pull all this together, with nothing but whatever donations come in to support the effort.
Here's what I propose.
Any like-minded folks out there are welcome to join me in sending an Anniversary donation of AUD14 by using the PayPal/Donate link on the Home Page Links. I know Terry could put the money to good use - he is always looking for ways to reach out, and one of the ways currently is by distributing copies of his excellent booklet "A Strange Place" to those that do not use the internet.
Count me and my wife, Stephanie, in to get the ball rolling. Our AUD28 donation will be sent as soon as I finish typing this post.
Thank you, Terry, and thanks to all who contribute their support and wisdom (and humor and compassion) via this site.
All our Best, Roger and Stephanie Carnell in Indiana.
As a newbie to "the club I never wanted to join", I have already come to love this site and its members in a very short period of time. The job that Terry has done in organizing a site "of the people, by the people and for the people" is amazing to me. I only hope that I can help those newly afflicted with PC in some miniscule way, however I am totally inspired by Terry's efforts. Keep fighting the good fight Terry.
I can only echo the sentiments above. The work you have done on behalf of all of us in the PCa battle is tremendous.
It's five and a half years since I discovered your greatest achievement - this site, YANA, and I never tire of telling every newly diagnosed guy who contacts me that this was the first site I ever found, and it still remains the best.
Its format is unique, and the hundreds of personal stories here have inspired and given real hope to countless worried and frightened newcomers to PCa.
Terry I would like to also say congratulations on your 14th year.
I have been doing what you have been saying "grabbing life with both hands" I have been travelling around Australia now for the last 4 years ringing the neck out of life. (4WDing)
I often wonder what a person I woild be like if I had not been diganosed with PCa. I probably would not have tavelled and still be in some sort of rut working, so maybe PCa has been a "good" thing for me seeing the good in people such as you and your work with YANA.
Along with the others here, I send my heartiest congratulations on your 14 years.
The countless people you have helped and encouraged during that time is magnificent awe inspiring and I wish to thank you for all the effort you put into the YANA site.
I hope you will be around for many years to come and enjoy the good life with your wife, family and friends.
Once again congratulations.
Thank you all for your good wishes - and thank you for your suggestion, Roger and your donation. A number of people mailed me to say they didn't know how to make a donation, so here the link is for anyone else who is feeling generous DONATIONS
I have decided that I have enough funds (taking into account likely donations based on past experience) to plan to publish a book using the material in my booklet A STRANGE PLACE to which I will add a section dealing with my personal journey. My aim in doing this is to reach the many men who do not have access to the Internet - and there are many thousands of them, given that more than half the men diagnosed are over the age of 70, with limited computer skills. I aim to have the project completed in time for my 15 Anniversary next year which coincidentally is the month before Father's Day here in Australia and September which is a focus month for PCa. So thank you again to all who will have contributed to this venture.
I also got some mail expressing concern at Rob Parsons having a 'dig' at me. Rob and I have known each other on the Net for some years now. I like and admire him and understand him only too well. I don't think he has a nasty bone in his body - except as far as the medical profession are concerned when they exhibit incompetence. So I took no offence because I know that none was intended.
Exactly Terry I have no issues with you and admire all your journey and works. We go way back I supported you early on and looked for some guidiance through you, too and my brother talked with you and it has made an impact on his PCa, he is still doing W.W. or A.S. and no psa change, appears sane for him thus far.
Correct my issues are with some of the docs and what goes on in the name of 'full disclosures, full assessments, unbiasedness, advising patients maybe seek another opinion for your own good' (rarely happens). I hope patients get a fair shake in their journey, selections, choices and overall care.
Terry:
I'm late catching up on this one - I've not been on the forum much lately. I'm 14 weeks on from treatment, and just trying to get back to 'normal' life.
But I echo all the other compliments and reminders to get the most out of life.
I'd like to personally thank you over the next few weeks! I'll be in Melbourne from Sept 29th to Oct 7th. Can I buy you a drink???!
Thank you David - I'm never averse to having a couple of drinks, but you've chosen the wrong time to visit Melbourne - at least as far as I am concerned - it's a great time to be in Melbourne and Australia. We have a pal from South Africa here at that time and will in fact be out of town showing her around this great country of ours.
