This September, landmarks all around Australia will light up blue to commemorate Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, aiming to boost understanding of the disease which affects one in six Australian men during their lifetime.
This year, Greater Shepparton will be following suit, with many buildings taking on a blue hue to help shine a light on the disease.
The Mooroopna Water Tower, Monash Park tree and Riverlinks Eastbank painted the sky blue on Sunday, September 1.
Victoria Park Lake will glow blue on multiple nights throughout the month.
Shepparton man and prostate cancer survivor Shane O’Sullivan helped organise the lights as an easy way to raise vital awareness.
“It was as simple as just putting in a request,” he said.
“It’s more about making people think, ‘Oh, why are they blue?’”
Mr O’Sullivan hoped the lights would remind people get checked.
“If you’re over 50, or 60 and haven’t had a PSA (prostate-specific antigen blood test) lately, it’s a reminder to people to go get the test,” he said.
“Prevention (of late-stage prostate cancer) is better than a cure,” Mr O’Sullivan says, adding the best way to catch it early is through regularly testing, which should be done at minimum every two years.
“It kills too many blokes, we’ve got to try and stop it doing that.”
The lights will lead to the Biggest Blokes’ Lunch, slated for the beginning of October.
This year’s lunch will continue in it’s mission of encouraging men to take better care of their health, raising funds to help employ prostate and bowel cancer nurses locally.
Tickets are fully sold out.
“No more advertising needed, there’s too many people,” Mr O’Sullivan says, but added that the outpouring of community support only demonstrated the value of awareness, and the impacts of the disease on the community.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, with men aged over 50 most at risk.
With no cure, early diagnosis is most important.
For more information about PSA testing, speak to your GP.