Today Is GivingTuesday!

After the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday the 30th of November, is quite simply a day that encourages people to do good.

GivingTuesday has become a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organisations to transform their communities and the world.

This year, the Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ (PCFNZ) is joining the GivingTuesday movement to encourage people to donate in support of the 10 Kiwi men who each day hear the news ‘you have prostate cancer’.

Chief Executive Peter Dickens says, "we are encouraging people to ‘do good’ and help a great cause, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and our mission to prevent suffering and death from prostate cancer".

"Black Friday and Cyber Monday have made big inroads to the Kiwi culture and people spend millions across these two days. We are hoping that GivingTuesday also becomes an established tradition just as it is in the USA where people donate millions to charity" says Dickens.

1 in 8 Kiwi men develop prostate cancer over their lifetime with over 3,500 being diagnosed every year, and sadly over 650 of these men will die.

Dickens says, "on this GivingTuesday you can make a meaningful difference in the life of a father, grandfather, brother or son living with prostate cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand".

People making a gift this GivingTuesday means that the Foundation can:

-Produce and deliver education and awareness of prostate cancer

-Advocate for earlier diagnosis and modern treatments for men with prostate cancer

-Fund important New Zealand-based innovative research towards improved diagnosis and treatments for thousands of Kiwi men.

-Maintain the 45 Support Groups and growing support network that provide vital support services for men and their families living with prostate cancer.

-Provide free counselling for those experiencing emotional distress as a result of a prostate cancer diagnosis

Plus, support for men like Michael, (not his real name), a beneficiary of the PCFNZ Welfare Grants Fund which assists patients and families experiencing hardship relating to their treatment. Through the fund, Michael was able to access life-changing physiotherapy, both prior to and following his prostatectomy earlier this year. Had it not been for the Welfare Grants Fund, this would have been impossible because as Michael told us he simply couldn’t afford it. "As a result of the physiotherapy I have experienced far fewer side effects from my treatment and I have been able regain greater quality of life," he said.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation receives no government funding and relies on the generosity of donors to fund its vital work supporting thousands of men and their families across New Zealand.

People wanting to make a gift to assist men and their families living with prostate cancer can do so at https://prostate.org.nz/6379-2/

© Scoop Media