Prostate Cancer Buddy Program Puts Men in Touch with Info – and Each Other

Posted on Sep 29, 2011 | Comments Off

Would you want to talk with another man who was diagnosed with prostate cancer? Speak with a guy who had a particular type of prostate cancer treatment?

The Prostate Cancer Buddy Program at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation enables interested men to get in touch with other men who have also been diagnosed with prostate cancer and have completed a wide range of prostate cancer treatments.

“The buddies know what the guys are going through, because they’ve been there – and survived,” says  Frank delaRama, R.N., MSN, AOCNS, clinical nurse specialist and prostate cancer navigator at PAMF’s Cancer Care Clinic.  “They are available to share their own personal experiences, and provide understanding, support and practical information.

“Getting another patient’s perspective in the process is helpful because there are so many emotions and questions following a prostate cancer diagnosis. They can get information from their doctors and specialists, but when a patient hears what other prostate cancer survivors – and even their wives – went through to get to where they are today, it helps them feel more comfortable about the decision they’ve made for their treatment.”

Prostate Cancer Patients at PAMF’s Cancer Care Clinic are invited to request a buddy at any point along their journey. Any man who was diagnosed and treated at PAMF’s Cancer Care Clinic at least one year ago, is also welcome to apply to be a Buddy. To request a buddy – or apply to be a buddy, call Frank delaRama at 650-853-4816 or e-mail Frank.

Frank delaRama R.N., M.S., AOCNS,  Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and prostate cancer nurse navigator – a role he created at PAMF in 2004, contributed to this blog post.  Frank created PAMF’s Prostate Cancer Buddy Program and is the chair of PAMF’s Cancer Patient Advisory Council. He has helped many men and their families along the cancer care journey, from diagnosis, through treatment, and into survivorship. You can follow Frank on Twitter at @fdelarama. You can also read Frank’s blog Prostate Cancer: A Family Affair at MyLifeStages.org.