As Prostate Cancer Awareness month is just around the corner, the Gully Market has once again shown its generosity for the community with a second $3000 donations to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) on Wednesday, 20 August.
The donation will go directly towards funding PCFA’s specialist prostate cancer nurses program, an important, yet often overlooked service supporting men facing advanced prostate cancer.
Gully Market’s president, Ian Rice said the decision to support this specific program was both deliberate and deeply considered.
“A few years ago, we were looking at ways to support breast cancer, and then someone said, ‘Well what about prostate cancer?’” Mr Rice said.
“When we looked into it, we saw how much funding breast cancer services received and how comparatively few prostate cancer resources existed – especially nurses and that’s what led us here.”
Instead of directing funds towards research, which is already well-supported, the Gully Market chose to focus on a more targeted area with immediate impact – like this donation, hoping to increase the number of specialist prostate cancer nurses in the state.
“There are hundreds of breast cancer nurses across the country, but only 30 prostate cancer nurses in Victoria,” Mr Rice said.
“We wanted to help close that gap and raise awareness that these services even exist.”
PCFA prostate cancer specialist nurses are specially trained to provide patients and their family with care, advice and support with all aspects of prostate cancer.
They can help patients and families with expert nursing advice during diagnoses, treatment and recovery; connect to prostate cancer services in your local area; access to your local support group; care and support for your partner and family and help with managing treatment side-effects.
The Gully Market is a volunteer-run community market that operates from the Upper Ferntree Gully station car park every Saturday and Sunday – all funds raised through stallholder fees go directly back into the community.
Since September 2023, the market has donated a total of $35,000 to a variety of local and national causes including Foothills Community Care, the Ferntree Gully Salvation Army, the Otis Foundation, Upper Ferntree Gully CFA, and the PCFA.
“We’re not a huge organisation, but we do what we can,” Mr Rice said.
“After covering our costs, every extra dollar goes straight to someone who needs it, we’ve now donated twice to each of our six core community organisations in under a year – it’s a team effort.”
Mr Rice is encouraging the community to support both the market and PCFA by donating, even if it’s just a gold coin.
“Go to the PCFA website and donate, even if it’s only a dollar, it could make a difference,” he said.
“I also urge all men over 50 to get tested, the odds of being diagnosed with a prostate cancer are one-in-seven and that risk increases as you get older. Early diagnoses mean over 90 per cent survival – it really can be the difference between life and death.”
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country.
In 2024 alone, 26,368 Australian men are expected to be diagnosed, with 3901 are projected to die from the disease – that means 72 men are diagnosed and 11 die every day.
Statistics also show that one-in-five Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and one in 23 will die from it.
PCFA’s Southern Regions community engagement manager, Linley Watson said donations from local groups like the Gully Market are vital.
“It’s a tough time for charities. Every donation makes a real difference,” Ms Watson said.
“The funds help us invest in research that saves lives tomorrow, raise awareness that encourages early detection, and support services – like our specialist nurse program – that help men and their families cope today.”
Ms Watson said she was pleasantly surprised when Mr Rice and his team reached out again this year.
“We were very fortunate to receive their support last year, so when they came back, it meant a lot,” she said.
“Ian’s advocacy is incredibly powerful, when he talks to the community about prostate cancer and shares what he knows, it helps men make decisions about their health. That kind of community-driven awareness can be life-saving.”
She said Prostate Cancer Awareness Month offers an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the issue, encourage testing, and supporting men across the country.
“PCFA’s vision is for a future where no man dies of prostate cancer,” Ms Watson said.
“It’s people like Ian and groups like the Gully Market that help make that vision possible.”
The impact of these donations goes beyond dollars, as Mr Rice said, sometimes it’s the awareness raised – not just the funding, that leaves the biggest mark.
“You can’t always measure the impact in dollars,” he said.
“Last year, after a radio interview about one of our donations, a bunch of people offered up holiday homes for retreat stays through the Otis Foundation. That wasn’t money – it was generosity that came from awareness. That’s what we hope to keep sparking.”
Mr Rice said more government support is needed for essential services like health and emergency response.
“These organisations shouldn’t have to be out here begging for money,” he said.
“Health, education and emergency services should be the top priorities in this country – everything else is secondary.”
The Gully Market might be small but their impact is massive.
For now Mr Rice and the rest of Gully team will be continuing doing their bit – quietly, consistently, and generously.
To donate or access support from a prostate cancer specialist nurse at any stage during or after treatment visit prostate.org.au or by calling 1800 22 00 99.
If you or someone you know is affected by prostate cancer and would like to speak to a specialist nurse, contact: prostatecancernurse@easternhealth.org.au
