I am currently listening to “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” and find the reference to Auschwitz “verdy interesting.” (As Shultz of “Hogan’s Heros” used to say.
Welcome to “Love Your Prostate”
This website was created by Douglas Gray (pictured) who was diagnosed with incurable Advanced Prostate Cancer in January 2009. Douglas passed away peacefully on Thursday 25th August 2011.
The purpose of the website is to provide information that can be used by interested people, groups, associations, etc. to help:
- reduce deaths
- increase life expectancy
- and reduce treatment complications
from a disease that kills 10,000 men a year of which 8,000 + are diagnosed with incurable advance prostate cancer of which 3,000 + die within the first year of diagnosis.
Narrative (The story behind 10,000 men)
The Iconic Auschwitz sign “Arbeit Macht Frei” is modified to read “PCa Macht Frei”, indicating that it is wrong for the Government to knowingly let 10,000 men die each year of prostate cancer when early diagnosis through screening can significantly reduce the number of deaths, increase longevity and minimise treatment complications. The figure 10,000 is visible in the raging smoke of the crematoria to indicate these unnecessary deaths.
The flower “Forget-me-nots” in the bottom left hand corner are used as a symbol to remember those men who have died, and will continue to die unnecessarily, if nothing is done about it.
Some of the “dead men walking” in the picture passing behind the Secretary’s of States for Health are using a number of different hand gestures to express how they feel ranging from, surrender, salute, two fingers, fist, one finger and blowing a kiss.
The Secretary’s of State for Health, 1997 to May 2010 under Labour Government, who were responsible for endorsing the UKNSC decision in 1997 not to screen for prostate cancer are (from left to right) Alan Milburn, John Reid, Patricia Hewitt, Alan Johnson and Andy Burnam. They are all shown with their backs on the 10,000 men that die each year and are also shown with sloped shoulders as they ignored the opportunity to solve the problem.
The silhouetted figure is Andrew Lansley the new coalition Government’s Secretary of State for Health. He is shown as a silhouette because he has the power to address the problem. The question is “will the painting be updated to show him with his back to the 10,000 men or looking at them recognising the problem and doing something about it?”
Prostate Diaries 
Thank you JM for putting this article that contains a reference to my dear late friend Doug Gray. Doug and I shared the same views about how improtant screening for prostate cancer is not just for men but for everyone that values mens lifes. We worked together on a series of articles during the two years I knew this great man. He never waivered from his believe that the government and health service here in the UK continually turn their backs on we men.
Dougs postcard of 10,000 men sits proudly on top of my computer screen to remind me of him and why we do what we do.
A true giant of a man who like the rest of us men with late stage prostate cancer feel let down because we did not have the information or access to teh PSA test that would have enabled us to make an informed decision about the test. At least then having the oportunity to say ‘No thank you’ to a PSA test we would feel some responsibility for the conditon we now find ourselves in.
Everyone of the 10,000 men,now plus Doug, and myself in the near future “will have passed through a window of oportunity of a cure” (Prof Roger Kirby).
Some say we should abondon the nonsense around the demerits of the PSA test and get the clinicians to look closer at the trigger point for treatment along with careful monitoring using the PSA test would eliminate most of the opposition to screening. Of course progress is being made in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer but almost certainly the PSA test will always remain as one of the indicators that will be complimented by newer techniques.
Doug did fantastic work and I for one will ensure his efforts were not in vane.
Keith
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