Prostate Cancer Information Kit to be Launched

A prostate cancer information kit called the Reef Knot Kit will be introduced today, Oct. 26, at the Cape Breton Cancer Symposium in Sydney. Beginning in December, the kit will be available for all Nova Scotia men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The kit contains a welcome letter; a book titled The Intelligent Patient's Guide to Prostate Cancer; a booklet from AstraZeneca called Prostate Cancer: What is it? How is it treated?; contact information for support groups in Nova Scotia, including Web sites and other supports; and the Canadian Cancer Society's Cancer Information Service toll-free number.

"The information in the Reef Knot Kit was designed by men, like me, who have been there," said Jack Brill, Nova Scotia co- ordinator with the Canadian Prostate Cancer Network and prostate cancer survivor. "We believe that information is our most powerful weapon against this disease and we hope that the men who receive these kits will let us know if there are other resources we should include."

"We pilot-tested the kit last fall in Halifax and Sydney with 20 men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, and incorporated their suggestions into the final version," said Dr. David Bell, urologist at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and a member of the Reef Knot working group. "We hope that men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer will find the information in the Reef Knot Kit helpful."

The Reef Knot working group includes representatives from the Halifax Regional Prostate Cancer Support Group Society, the Canadian Prostate Cancer Network, Canadian Cancer Society - Nova Scotia Division, Cancer Care Nova Scotia and the QEII Health Sciences Centre Cancer Program.