In December of last year,

Jim O'Hara, with the support of the American Cancer

Society, offered the first "Man to Man"

prostate cancer support group at Southern Regional

Medical Center. The first meeting attracted two new

members. In the second, in January, four new members were

added.

O'Hara has a strong motive

for starting the group - he is a prostate cancer

survivor. He said, "When I was diagnosed with

cancer, I was at a loss as to where to turn. I found that

a support group gave me information and emotional

support. It also gave me a purpose because I wanted to

help others as I had been helped."

He had been active in other

groups prior to moving to Peachtree City. When he moved

to the area and began looking for a local group, he

discovered the closest one was in Atlanta.

He decided to start a local

support group and ultimately enlisted the aid of the

American Cancer Society and Debby Tourville, community

cancer control manager for Clayton, Fayette, Lamar, Pike,

Spalding and Upson counties.

With Tourville's help he

contacted 30 doctors for support. While a number

indicated an interest, Dr. Scott Shelfo, a local

urologist, had been trying to get a group started and

quickly jumped in to help. Shelfo, along with SRMC

oncology clinical specialist Lisa Hedenstrom and Marcus

Bramblett, a retired hospital chaplain, formed the

nucleus to get the group started.

Tourville said, "I

can't say enough about the degree of passion Jim has

exhibited toward getting the `Man to Man' program off the

ground. I think Jim's experience with this disease has

empowered him to do wonderful things for others."

She continued, "Jim

has researched prostate cancer extensively and is

up-to-date on all the latest findings and treatments

options. He is dedicated to the cause and is a very

valuable volunteer to The American Cancer Society."

"Man to Man" is a

national program of The American Cancer Society that

originated in Sarasota, Fla. in 1990. The purpose of the

group is "to allow men and their families to share

information and emotional support."

The intent is to enhance

the patient's understanding but not to attempt to

diagnose or provide medical advice.

O'Hara notes, "When

women are diagnosed with cancer, most will search out

people to talk to, but men usually do not do this. The

support group provides an easy way for some men to

satisfy the need to talk."

There is usually a speaker

at each of the meetings who discusses an issue related to

cancer. After the presentation and question period an

"open forum" is conducted in which concerns can

be aired. After the open discussion period the group

breaks up to allow time for one-on-one discussions.

The next monthly meeting of

the "Man To Man" prostate cancer support group

for Fayette, Clayton and neighboring counties is Tuesday,

Feb. 22, from 7:15-8:45 p.m.

The meeting will be held in

room "A" of the Health Education Center at

Southern Regional Medical Center. The planned topic will

be "Nutrition and Prostate Cancer."

For information on prostate

cancer awareness or "Man to Man," phone Debby

Tourville, American Cancer Society, Fayetteville at

770-460-8920 or Jim O'Hara, American Cancer Society M2M

Volunteer at 770-632-2898

According to the American

Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common

cancer, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, in American

men.

The ACS estimates during

2000 approximately 180,400 new cases of prostate cancer

will be diagnosed in the United States.

Prostate cancer is the

second leading cause of cancer death in men, exceeded

only by lung cancer.

The ACS estimates that

31,900 men in the United States will die of this disease

during 2000.

Prostate cancer accounts

for about 11 percent of male cancer-related deaths.

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