Stay tuned for information about our March 8th Support Group Meeting!
In the meantime, we invite you to check out upcoming presentations across Canada. The link below will take you to the Prostate Cancer Support Canada calendar.
News and Upcoming Presentations – January/February 2022
January 24, 2022 by
No Support Group Meeting In February
A message from Garry:
Now that the holiday season is behind us, the Prostate Cancer Support Windsor/Essex Steering Committee would like to update you on our upcoming program and some of the initiatives that we are progressing with this year.
Christmas Party & Spring BBQ – We would like to thank those who came to the Christmas Party at the Legion Branch 594 in December. It turned out to be an excellent event, with music provided by Joe Perry, and the venue worked out very well. We are currently contemplating a spring barbeque; if you have any thoughts or suggestions, such as where, please let us know.
February Meeting Canceled – Unfortunately, COVID restrictions prevent us from having an in-person meeting in February. The Hospice will remain closed and many potential speakers are only able to present using ZOOM. To date, ZOOM meetings have not been popular with our membership, so we will cross our fingers and wait ’til March for our next meeting.
March Meeting – For the March meeting, we are planning to have a women-only session in addition to a speaker. Therefore please invite your significant others. If you have any ideas for our March meeting, please let us know.
Community Awareness Brochures – We have been actively networking with the Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) and the Windsor Cancer Centre (WCC) Foundation. The WRH has printed and delivered our new brochures internally and the WCC paid to print brochures for us. It is our plan to have these delivered to local urologists’ offices and available for community events.
Community Awareness Events Booth – It is our long-term plan to man an awareness booth at company health fairs, hockey games and other events. In preparation, we are planning to have a professionally made banner stand and other associated “marketing” material. Again, we would welcome any ideas; we also ask that you solicit potential donors to help fund these “marketing” aids. In the future, we will be asking for volunteers to man the booth.
Financial Manager – We are currently looking for a financial manager to relieve some workload off current steering committee members. If you are interested, please let us know.
The steering committee has been working hard in the background to meet our mission and goals; we really do rely on ideas and feedback from the membership. Please do not hesitate to get involved. We look forward to an exciting year!
Garry
Upcoming Presentations
Don’t miss these upcoming virtual support group meetings and presentations!
Register now at the links below.
 |
 Tuesday, January 25th – 2:00 pm Eastern (11:00 am Pacific) We’re very pleased to have Dr. Kishor Wasan return with Dr. Michael Cox to provide us with an update on their research for a treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (MCRPC). Their presentation is titled, ‘SR-BI: An essential component of steroidogenesis in castration-resistant prostate cancer: An update.’ For more information on Dr. Wasan and Dr. Cox, or to RSVP for this meeting, click on the Register Now button below. |
 Partners in Prostate Support Group Wednesday, January 26th 6:00 pm Pacific (9:00 pm Eastern) Calling all support people! Please join us at our partners only support group. This group is a safe space for partners regardless of sex, gender, or relationship to patient, to share their experiences and hear from others who have navigated this journey too. Learn more about helping your partner navigate side effects of treatment, improving quality of life for you and your partner, or just sit back and listen, feeling better knowing that you’re not in this alone. Can’t make it to the meeting? Check out the Partners in Prostate forum and info website for 24/7 support. |
 Prostate Cancer Support Toronto January Awareness Night Wednesday, January 26th 7 pm Eastern (4 pm Pacific) This month’s awareness night will feature a special presentation on “PROSTATE RADIOTHERAPY: the present and future of high precision treatment” with Dr. Danny Vesprini, B.Sc, M.Sc, MD, FRCPC. For more on Dr. Vesprini and his incredible work, click on the Register Now button below. |
 Prostate Cancer Research, Education and Treatment Across Two Sides of the Border Tuesday, February 1st 10:00 pm Eastern (7:00 pm Pacific) We are very excited to have Dr. Celestia Higano speaking to us on the topic of Prostate Cancer Research, Education and Treatment Across Two Sides of the Border. Dr. Higano is an internationally renowned expert and clinical researcher focusing on prostate cancer. She has been the Medical Director of the Prostate Cancer Supportive Care Program at the Vancouver Prostate Centre since 2013. For more on Dr. Higano, please click on the Register Now button below. |
 Nationwide Active Surveillance Support Group Thursday, February 10th 7:30 pm Eastern (4:30 pm Pacific) Looking to learn more about active surveillance for you or someone you care about? Active surveillance is a method of closely monitoring your prostate cancer for growth with your healthcare team before opting for a more invasive treatment like surgery or radiation. Some men stay on active surveillance for decades with no need to progress to further treatment, while others are able to use active surveillance to safely delay significant impacts to their quality of life for several years. |
News and Upcoming Presentations from PCSC
December 18, 2021 by
A cancer diagnosis is always life-altering and even more so during a global pandemic.
Imagine having your cancer appointments taking place over Zoom or over phone calls and not having the privilege of meeting your doctor face-to-face until the day of your surgery.
Imagine not being allowed to have your partner there for you as you receive your diagnosis or your treatments. Or your partner not being there by your side as you receive your discharge information at the hospital.
We’ve heard stories from patients and partners across Canada struggling for the past nearly two years attempting to navigate an already uncertain journey, through increasingly uncertain times.
Throughout this time, we’ve worked tirelessly to expand our support services to be available to men no matter where they live or how accessible their nearest cancer centres or support groups may be.
We’ve made it our goal to be there for prostate cancer patients and their loved ones whenever and wherever they need us, because we know that cancer doesn’t stop for pandemics, or holidays, or geography.
If you need one-on-one support, educational materials, or help finding a support group this holiday season, we’ll still be here for you – just an email away.
As we continue to support patients and their families this holiday season, we could really use your support too.
| Make a donation |
Wednesday, December 29th, 9:00 pm, Join us for our monthly Partners in Prostate meeting – a support group meeting designed to be a safe space for partners of prostate cancer patients to share their experiences. Can’t make it to a meeting? Check out the new Partners in Prostate website – complete with resources for partners and patients and a forum to meet and chat with other partners.
Sign up for the Partners in Prostate mailing list here.
Register for the December meeting here.
January Coast to Coast
We’re pleased to have Dr. Kishor Wasan return with an update on his research with Dr. Michael Cox. Their presentation is titled, ‘SR-BI: An essential component of steroidogenesis in castration-resistant prostate cancer: An update.’
Register in advance.
February Coast to Coast
In honour of Black History Month, our February meeting will be in partnership with the Walnut Foundation to discuss the increased risk of prostate cancer in Black men. More details to be announced soon.
Register in advance.
March Coast to Coast
Our March meeting will be focused on exercise and will feature Dr. Kristin Campbell speaking on ‘Exercise: Why does this matter to men after a prostate cancer diagnosis.’
Register in advance.
December 2021 Support Group Holiday Meeting
December 7, 2021 by
CHRISTMAS PARTY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021, 5:30 PM
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH 594
5030 HOWARD AVENUE, OLDCASTLE, ON N9H 0M3
Last Call for our Christmas Party
If you haven’t replied already, please e-mail us (winexpcsg@gmail.com) or contact any of our Steering Committee members; their contact information can be found on our website (www.wpcsg.com/steering-committee/).
In order to assure a successful evening, we would like to know the following:
- Numbers of members and guests who plan to attend;
- Who will be bringing desserts; and
- Any suggestions that would make this event memorable.
Our Christmas party is planned for a 5:30pm start on Tuesday 14 December 2021 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 594 located at 5030 Howard Ave.; this coincides with that Legion’s bi-weekly spaghetti dinner. This dinner costs $10/person and normally runs from 4:30pm to 6:30pm; it includes all-you-can-eat spaghetti, salad and a bun. The Legion will segregate part of the hall for our members and they will let us remain and enjoy the hall after the dinner has finished and everyone else has left. Here are some of the advantages of this venue, which is a nice new and cheerful building:
- There will be no cost for the hall rental assuming a sufficient number of members attend the spaghetti dinner starting at 5:30pm;
- The $10/person cost for the dinner is reasonable;
- There will be a bar with bartender on duty;
- The Legion will allow our members to bring potluck desserts;
- The hall will be nicely decorated with Xmas decorations, and
- live seasonal music will be provided by the always popular Joe Perry and friends!
PLEASE NOTE: The evening will be fully compliant with the latest additional COVID-19 Guidance For Restaurants, Bars and Food and Drink Establishments outlined by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. The Legion is a large facility with lots of room to spread out.
Legion volunteers will be screening proofs of vaccination at the main entrance. Masks must be worn at all times when not seated at a table. There will also be a Steering Committee member with the Legion volunteers at the hall entrance to greet our members.
Upcoming Presentation – November 30th and Other News of Interest
November 26, 2021 by
Worrying about your prostate cancer returning is normal; but letting that fear go unmanaged can negatively impact your life. Learn more about managing the fear of cancer recurrence with
Dr. Sophie Lebel
Tuesday, November 30th @ 2 pm Eastern
About Dr. Sophie Lebel:
Professor Sophie Lebel is a clinical psychologist with a focus on cancer survivorship and psychosocial interventions. She has contributed to the definition and measurement of fear of cancer recurrence and clinical recurrence, validated a blended model of fear of cancer recurrence, and co-developed a cognitive existential group intervention for survivors that has been tested through clinical trials.
She is the director of the Interdisciplinary Psychosocial Oncology Research Group and Laboratory, an initiative that brings together researchers, health care providers, community partners, and trainees with an interest in helping cancer patients and their loved ones in the Greater Ottawa region. Clinically, Dr. Lebel helps cancer patients and their caregivers with adjustment difficulties throughout the disease trajectory.
| Subscribe to the Prostate Cancer Support Canada Newsletter mailing list to receive Your Monthly Debrief – a monthly newsletter with information about upcoming events, resources, new research, clinical trials, advocacy opportunities, and more. Subscribe now. |
Other News of Interest
Us TOO and ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer
As you probably know by now, Us TOO and ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer have merged to become one powerful organization serving the prostate cancer community under the ZERO banner. As a result of the merger with Us TOO and ZERO, we are streamlining communications and resources for the prostate cancer community. We will be winding down distribution of the News You Can Use email. Plans are to discontinue this email after December, at which time the news source will be replaced by a newsletter from ZERO. Please visit https://zerocancer.org to sign up and make sure you continue to receive this important information. As far as the News You Can Use articles we provide, you can find that prostate cancer news, which is always updated, at https://zerocancer.org/learn/prostate-cancer-news .
Videos
Us TOO has finished its 2021 webinar series, ” What is Right for Me in My Prostate Cancer Treatment?” If you missed any of the series, or would like to watch any of the episodes again, you can find them all posted at www.ustoo.org/ustoo-video . Topics include: Bone Health and Nutrition , Shared Decision Making , Biomarkers , Imaging , and Genetics and Genomics . Thanks to all the doctors, sponsors, and attendees for making this series a success.
Virtual Support Groups
Us TOO has virtual prostate cancer support groups that continue to meet regularly and host guest speakers. These meetings can be accessed by phone or by internet, and can be attended from any location. For a list of groups, please visit www.ustoo.org/virtual-ustoo-support-groups.
December 2021 Support Group Holiday Meeting
November 25, 2021 by
CHRISTMAS PARTY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021, 5:30 PM
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH 594
5030 HOWARD AVENUE, OLDCASTLE, ON N9H 0M3
We need to know if you’re coming.
In order to assure a successful evening, we would like to know the following:
- Numbers of members and guests who plan to attend;
- Who will be bringing desserts; and
- Any suggestions that would make this event memorable.
Please e-mail us (winexpcsg@gmail.com) or contact any of our Steering Committee members; their contact information can be found on our website (www.wpcsg.com/steering-committee/).
Our Christmas party is planned for a 5:30pm start on Tuesday 14 December 2021 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 594 located at 5030 Howard Ave.; this coincides with that Legion’s bi-weekly spaghetti dinner. This dinner costs $10/person and normally runs from 4:30pm to 6:30pm; it includes all-you-can-eat spaghetti, salad and a bun. The Legion will segregate part of the hall for our members and they will let us remain and enjoy the hall after the dinner has finished and everyone else has left. Here are some of the advantages of this venue, which is a nice new and cheerful building:
- There will be no cost for the hall rental assuming a sufficient number of members attend the spaghetti dinner starting at 5:30pm;
- The $10/person cost for the dinner is reasonable;
- There will be a bar with bartender on duty;
- The Legion will allow our members to bring potluck desserts;
- The hall will be nicely decorated with Xmas decorations, and
- live seasonal music will be provided by the always popular Joe Perry and friends!
Please Note: For the dinner, there will be Legion volunteers screening COVID proofs of vaccination at the main entrance. There will also be a Steering Committee member with the Legion volunteers at the hall entrance to greet our members.
December 2021 Support Group Holiday Meeting
November 18, 2021 by
CHRISTMAS PARTY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021, 5:30 PM
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH 594
5030 HOWARD AVENUE, OLDCASTLE, ON N9H 0M3
We had a well-attended November meeting; we hope everyone enjoyed the excellent presentation by Dr. Lisa Porter and Dr. John Trant. We look forward to an equally interesting and enjoyable winter program for 2022 and now that Remembrance Day is behind us, we can focus on our annual Christmas Party. Unfortunately, COVID restrictions preclude us from having our traditional pot-luck party at the Hospice this year, so the Steering Committee has come up with an exciting Plan B.
Our Christmas party is now planned for a 5:30pm start on Tuesday 14 December 2021 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 594 located at 5030 Howard Ave.; this coincides with that Legion’s bi-weekly spaghetti dinner. This dinner costs $10/person and normally runs from 4:30pm to 6:30pm; it includes all-you-can-eat spaghetti, salad and a bun. The Legion will segregate part of the hall for our members and they will let us remain and enjoy the hall after the dinner has finished and everyone else has left. Here are some of the advantages of this venue, which is a nice new and cheerful building:
- There will be no cost for the hall rental assuming a sufficient number of members attend the spaghetti dinner starting at 5:30pm;
- The $10/person cost for the dinner is reasonable;
- There will be a bar with bartender on duty;
- The hall will be nicely decorated with Xmas decorations and music; and
- The Legion will allow our members to bring potluck desserts;
The Steering Committee hopes that you also find this plan to be equally exciting. In order to assure success, we would like to know the following:
- Numbers of members and guests who plan to attend;
- Who will be bringing desserts; and
- Any suggestions that would make this event memorable.
We need to know if you’re coming.
Please e-mail us (winexpcsg@gmail.com) or contact any of our Steering Committee members; their contact information can be found on our website (www.wpcsg.com/steering-committee/).
For the dinner, there will be Legion volunteers screening COVID proofs of vaccination at the main entrance. There will also be a Steering Committee member with the Legion volunteers at the hall entrance to greet our members.
November 2021 Support Group Meeting
November 3, 2021 by
Please join us IN PERSON for our November 9th Support Group Meeting! (See Meeting Notes below)
This month we are pleased to welcome our guest speakers, Dr. Lisa Porter, Executive Director of WE-Spark Health Institute, and University of Windsor Professor of Biomedical Sciences, and Dr. John Trant, Biochemistry Professor from the University of Windsor, who will update us on their Prostate Cancer Research being carried out right here in Windsor/Essex. Please RSVP to winexpcsg@gmail.com to confirm your attendance as seating is limited.
Articles and photos courtesy of University of Windsor Daily News
A pair of UWindsor scientists are researching ways to better diagnose prostate cancer.
Lisa Porter and John Trant are developing imaging agents to help oncologists distinguish between different types of prostate cancer. The new agents would fluoresce under near-infrared light that could be used in conjunction with colonoscopies. Diagnoses would be more precise and wait times shorter than with current imaging using positron emission tomography, commonly referred to as PET scans.
“What’s cool about this is you could just use a lamp,” said Dr. Trant. “This would be much more readily available, and we could cut costs a couple orders of magnitude.”
The research is being funded with a $30,000 grant from the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation’s Seeds4Hope program. Since its inception in 2009, Seeds4Hope has awarded $2.3 million to cancer research projects.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, about one in nine Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetimes. Last year, more than 23,300 Canadians were diagnosed with prostate cancer. About 4,200 will die from it each year.
“The mortality numbers are lower than they used to be, as survival has significantly improved thanks to the development of both targeted therapies and prostate-cancer-specific imaging agents,” Dr. Porter said.
But the imaging could be vastly improved.
Prostate cancer generally begins as hormone-sensitive adenocarcinoma, a disease treated by reducing the body’s production of testosterone and other hormones. But the cancer can evolve and become resistant to the treatment. A second line of therapy can be used, but the cancer can evolve further into an even more aggressive form.
“Our project aims to develop a pair of probes that can distinguish between prostate cancer that is hormone sensitive and prostate cancer that has become treatment resistant,” Trant said. “It can also help determine if a cancer is progressing from one stage to another.”
Trant and Porter are experienced cancer researchers who have collaborated on projects tackling the most aggressive forms of the disease. Their research has been funded by provincial and federal agencies, as well as local ones.
“We’re thankful for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation and all its generous donors who give to the Seeds4Hope program,” said Porter. “The program continues to support cutting-edge research right here in Windsor-Essex.”
—Sarah Sacheli
Oncologists may soon have a new tool to outsmart prostate cancer thanks to research by UWindsor biochemistry professor John Trant.
Dr. Trant is developing imaging agents to help oncologists distinguish between different types of prostate cancer. The agents would offer better, quicker, and cheaper diagnoses than current imaging techniques.
“We are developing the next generation of imaging probes so clinicians can quickly determine the location of the tumour and help determine if the cancer is progressing from one stage to another,” Trant said.
“Early detection of cancer is one of the driving forces behind increased survival, however, with prostate cancer, just as it is important to learn if cancer is present, it is important to know if the cancer is changing.”
Trant’s research got a $120,000 funding boost last week from the Cancer Research Society, a registered charity that raises money for Canadian cancer research. The society announced $9.6 million in funding for 80 projects around the county. Trant’s was one of two UWindsor projects that received funding. The other is breast cancer research led by biology professor Munir Rahim.
Prostate cancer generally begins as hormone-sensitive adenocarcinoma, a disease that can be treated by reducing the body’s production of testosterone and other hormones, Trant explained. But the cancer can evolve and become resistant to the treatment. A second line of therapy can be used, but the cancer can evolve further into an even more aggressive form.
Zeroing in on a specific protein associated with the disease, Trant is developing a pair of probes that attach themselves to the protein, allowing doctors to distinguish between prostate cancer that is hormone sensitive and prostate cancer that has become resistant to treatment.
The agents Trant is developing would fluoresce under near-infrared light. Doctors could use a lamp that emits such light during colonoscopies to detect the agents. Diagnoses would be more precise and wait times shorter than with current imaging, which uses positron emission tomography, commonly referred to as PET scans.
“This would be much more readily available, and we could cut costs dramatically,” Trant said.
His research, started with UWindsor biomedical researcher Lisa Porter, received initial funding from the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation’s Seeds4Hope program. The latest funding through the Cancer Research Society will allow the team to expand its research over the next two years and collaborate with clinicians at cancer centres.
Last year, more than 23,300 Canadian men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, about one in nine Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetimes, and 4,200 will die from it each year.
Since its inception, the Cancer Research Society has invested $326 million in cancer research.
“As a leader in the field of cancer research in Canada, the Cancer Research Society is determined, now more than ever, to contribute to preventing, detecting, and treating all types of cancer as demonstrated by the success of our annual grant competition,” said president and CEO Manon Pepin. “Each donor and partner can be sure that the donations collected will have a major impact for patients diagnosed with cancer, as well as for their loved ones.”
— Sarah Sacheli
Meeting Notes
Bring a coffee, tea or water and join us. New patients and their supporters are always welcome.
A big thanks to Hospice of Windsor & Essex County for opening their doors to us again. Meeting details are as follows:
Tuesday, November 9th, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m.
Hospice of Windsor & Essex County
6038 Empress St., Windsor, ON N8T 1B5
Please respect the following requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic:
All participants must wear masks and complete required screening forms upon entry. Prostate Cancer patients are not required to provide proof of vaccination, however, all other guests must do so (confirmation of double vaccination at least 14 days before)
Masks must be worn by everyone at all times while on the premises.
Individuals are welcome to arrive with their own beverages or snacks. Alcohol is prohibited on Hospice premises. No coffee, tea, etc., will be provided by Hospice.
Please RSVP your attendance to winexpcsg@gmail.com as seating is limited to 30 people.
We do hope you’ll join us.
Support Group Meeting – Tuesday @ 7pm
October 11, 2021 by
Happy Thanksgiving! Please join us tomorrow evening for our first in person Support Group Meeting in a long time. Meeting details are outlined below. Seating is limited so, if you haven’t done so already, please RSVP to winexpcsg@gmail.com to let us know if you’re planning to attend.
October 2021 Support Group Meeting
Tuesday, October 12th, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m.
Hospice of Windsor & Essex County
6038 Empress St., Windsor, ON N8T 1B5
Please respect the following requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic:
All participants must wear masks at all times while on the premises and complete required screening forms upon entry. Prostate Cancer patients are not required to provide proof of vaccination, however, all other guests must do so (confirmation of double vaccination at least 14 days before)
Individuals are welcome to arrive with their own beverages or snacks. Alcohol is prohibited on Hospice
premises. No coffee, tea, etc., will be provided by Hospice.
Please note that seating is limited to 30 people. Please RSVP to winexpcsg@gmail.com
October 2021 Support Group Meeting
October 5, 2021 by
Please join us IN PERSON for our October 12th Support Group Meeting! We think it’s time for us to get together again and catch up on news since we last met in person in March 2020. This will be an informal get together to chat and reacquaint. Bring a coffee, tea or water and tell us what you’ve been up to. New patients and their supporters are always welcome.
A big thanks to Hospice of Windsor & Essex County for opening their doors to us again. Meeting details are as follows:
Tuesday, October 12th, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m.
Hospice of Windsor & Essex County
6038 Empress St., Windsor, ON N8T 1B5
Please respect the following requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic:
All participants must wear masks and complete required screening forms upon entry. Prostate Cancer patients are not required to provide proof of vaccination, however, all other guests must do so (confirmation of double vaccination at least 14 days before)
Masks must be worn by everyone at all times while on the premises.
Individuals are welcome to arrive with their own beverages or snacks. Alcohol is prohibited on Hospice
premises. No coffee, tea, etc., will be provided by Hospice.
Please note that seating is limited to 30 people.
We do hope you’ll join us.
