Facing Prostate Cancer Together: Why It’s Time for a Woodstock Area Support Group - Survey
Prostate Support Group Survey Link: Prostate Support Group Survey
Let’s be honest: hearing the words, "You have prostate cancer," stops time.
In an instant, your world becomes a whirlwind of medical appointments, unfamiliar terminology, treatment options, and a fair amount of anxiety about the future. It’s a journey that can feel incredibly isolating, even if you are surrounded by a loving family and supportive friends. Unless someone has walked that path themselves, it’s hard for them to truly understand the physical and emotional toll it takes on a man.
Often, getting the support you need means getting in the car and driving an hour or more down the Trans-Canada to Fredericton or Moncton.
When you’re dealing with treatment side effects, fatigue, or just the mental weight of diagnosis, that drive can feel like a mountain. Especially in February.
The Gap in Our Community
Right now, there is a gap in local support services for men dealing with prostate cancer within the Woodstock area and surrounding 60km radius.
We are tough, self-reliant people in this part of the province. We tend to handle things on our own. But prostate cancer isn’t something anyone should have to handle alone. There is immense power in simply sitting in a room (or on a Zoom call) with other local guys who just "get it."
Why a Local Group Matters
I am proposing the start of a prostate support group right here in our community. The vision isn't complicated: it's about neighbors helping neighbors.
Why do we need this locally?
Shared Experience: It’s a space to talk openly about things you might not want to burden your spouse or kids with—from managing treatment side effects to navigating the mental hurdles of recovery.
Practical, Local Advice: It’s one thing to read general advice online; it’s another to hear from a local guy about how he managed travel for radiation, or which local physiotherapist helped with recovery.
No Travel Required: A local group means support is accessible right here at home, whether you are newly diagnosed, currently in treatment, or a long-term survivor.
I Need Your Input First
I am passionate about getting this off the ground, but a support group only works if it meets the actual needs of the men it’s meant to serve. I don't want to guess what you need; I want to hear it from you.
Before we book a community hall or set a date, we need to gauge the interest level.
Are there enough of us out here who want this?
Do you prefer meeting in person over coffee, or online from your living room?
Are you looking for guest speakers and medical information, or just a quiet place to vent and swap stories?
To find these answers, I’ve put together a very short, completely anonymous online survey. It takes less than three minutes to complete.
Your Voice Matters
If you are a prostate cancer patient, a survivor, or someone supporting a man going through it within an hour's drive of Woodstock, please take a moment to fill out this survey.
Your responses will directly shape what this group looks like and how it operates. Let’s build a community where no man in our area has to face this journey alone.
Survey Link: Prostate Support Group Survey
