Walk to talk about cancer

In Australia, the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men is prostate cancer, taking the lives of more than 3000 men each year. It’s a disease that is all too familiar to the members of Helensburgh Men’s Shed, with several members having been dealt devastating diagnoses over the years.

To coincide with Men’s Health Week, Helensburgh Men’s Shed is hosting the Helensburgh Walk for Prostate Cancer at 5pm on Friday, June 16, convening at the Shed on Parkes Street before walking en masse to the Helensburgh Thistles Soccer Club.

The purpose of the walk is much the same as the guiding principle behind the Men’s Shed – to create a space for men to speak openly about their health.

“A number of men in the Shed have had it – it's the most common cancer full stop – and [we want] to try and get the message out that it's easily identifiable and worth getting treatment for as early as possible,” Helensburgh Men’s Shed’s health and wellbeing officer Ron Balderston said.

“Men's Sheds were started 30 years ago, the idea being that guys will talk to one another about health issues when they're doing things, rather than when they're being directly [advised] about it by medical professionals.

“That's what we're trying to do – that's the whole goal of the Men's Shed.”

While members of the Men’s Shed volunteer much of their time fixing and restoring commissions brought in by the community – everything from broken-down machinery to wooden chairs – they find most of their fulfilment in having a chat.

“There's a lot of humour, there's a lot of excitement – they're not ecstatic, but they just have a lot of satisfaction in talking to one another and in making something, doing something, and out of that comes healthier mental wellbeing and healthier families,” Ron said.

Waiting at the finish line on Friday evening will be live music by Dave Oliphant, special addresses by Dr Trevor Kemper and Steve Carlisle, senior minister at Helensburgh and Stanwell Park Anglican Church, and a homemade winter meal.

“We'll have fire pits to keep us warm; I’m making my famous roast chicken soup,” Helensburgh Men’s Shed vice-president Paul Blanksby said.

Ron is also hoping to rope in some Helensburgh Thistles soccer players.

“There's going to be two Helensburgh teams playing one another on Friday night and [they’re going to] try to come up to the Shed and do the walk as a warm-up before their game,” Ron said.

“If that comes up, that'll just be brilliant, because the whole idea is to get as many involved and as many age groups as possible involved.”

Walkers on Friday will also have the opportunity to donate to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, with all donations to the charity during Men’s Health Week, June 12 to 18, matched by sponsors Tyrepower, Hire A Hubby and Tapcorp.

To register, sponsor a walker or have your donations doubled this week only, visit the website