Collaboration raises over $200,000

21 Sep 2020

Four local community groups have joined forces to raise over $200,000 with the Barwon Health Foundation to purchase a new specialised Transperineal Biopsy Machine - the first for public patients in the Geelong region.

Cancer After Care Group Geelong, Geelong Racing Club Father's Day Race Day, Male Bag Foundation, Gentlemen's Club of Geelong and the Barwon Health Foundation have all provided financial support to enable the purchase of this specialist equipment which is now in operation at Barwon Health's University Hospital Geelong.

Mr Richard Grills, Director of Urology at Barwon Health, believes the piece of equipment will make a big difference to the health outcomes for thousands of local men.

"Having access to a Transperineal Prostate Biopsy device will reduce the complications associated with having a prostate biopsy and increase the diagnostic accuracy of the procedure" Mr Grills said.

"We will be able to identify more significant prostate cancers in men earlier and so more safely. We are very grateful to all of the organisations that have assisted in fundraising for this vital piece of equipment, particularly the Male Bag Foundation, who provided the impetus for this initiative.'

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men, and the third most common cause of cancer death.

The new machine will allow Barwon Health clinicians to perform tranperineal biopsies when diagnosing prostate cancer, offering a safer biopsy with less risk of infection, less risk of bleeding, greater accuracy and improved detection rates.