Unique centre providing prostate cancer care for Aussie men

Forty-nine Aussie men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day, but one unique centre is aiming to give them the best chance at survival yet.

The Australian Prostate Centre is a one-stop-shop, providing diagnosis, treatment and research by a talented team of specialists.

It's completely funded by generous donations from the public and is the brainchild of entrepreneur Bill Guest, who was himself diagnosed 10 years ago.

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"When I got diagnosed with prostate cancer, I decided to get off my backside - do something about it," Guest told A Current Affair.

"What Melbourne, what Australia needed was a centre that everybody could get treatment, whatever their economic status was.

"I got a whole lot of mates together, we had a dinner and raised about $800,000."

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The centre was built using the funds, along with support from the Victorian union movement.

"It's been phenomenal, what we've achieved over a fairly short period of time," Guest said.

"We've been able to see more than 25,000 patients and we've saved lots of lives."

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Rob Rowland, 71, has been a patient at the Australian Prostate Centre since the doors opened.

"There's no magic bullet to cure prostate cancer, but there is an expanded lifestyle if you tap into this service," Rowland said.

His prostate was removed 14 years ago but the cancer had already metastasised.

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Rowland told A Current Affair the many specialists and services offered by the centre have extended his life.

"Go and talk to your GP, get yourself tested on a regular basis and don't let it go too far," Rowland said.

"Don't finish up in a situation like me."

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Guest is calling for state and federal governments to back the centre, to ensure they can assist more patients.

"I find it incredible that it is the biggest cancer for men, it kills three times more men than women with breast cancer and we sort of ignore it," Guest said.

"It is the biggest growing cancer for men and it's incredible we do nothing about it.

"There's hardly any promotions, advertising, marketing, government support and it's just time everybody realised that because it's getting to a pandemic level."