Bayside Therapy Group

Today is my birthday.

Normally I don’t celebrate my birthday at all really, mainly because I have a daughter that has her birthday the following day, so I’m normally quite ok with sliding past mine without any fan fair.
Not this year!

Many of you will know that in July I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer requiring urgent surgery to remove my prostate and surrounding tissue it had spread to.

The journey over the last 2 months has been brutal to say the least. Like all serious medical journeys, it has been a roller coaster – filled with moments of despair realising that my body no longer functions how it always had, grief at the loss of a part of my body that helped me father 2 children, joy at the smallest improvements in my healing, to then regress the next day from something as simple as a coughing fit and then the dreaded moments of panic when you realise that this isn’t a matter of healing from an injury – this is FU***NG CANCER!!!

Yes, the roller coaster is real!!

There are 2 reasons I want to create this post. Firstly to update friends, family and patients of my recovery. Secondly to share my story now being September – Prostate Cancer awareness month and why that is so important to me.

Ok, here we go. I first went to the GP to discuss the reasons why my urine flow was changing . Why my flow of urine was spluttering and reduced in pressure and duration. My GP felt that I probably have inflammation and or swelling around the bladder and prostate and it is common and nothing to worry about.

At this point, I realised I needed to take some of my own advice and if I wasn’t happy, say so and push for a test of some kind. So off I went to have a PSA blood test and start the journey to where I am now.
PSA test result around 10.0 which is in the high range. At this point I had a sense that something was wrong.

I got a referral and an appointment in a few weeks with a Urologist, who didn’t seem concerned at all and wanted to wait and assess. Again, I pushed for the next step being an MRI which I had 2 days before my daughter Olivia’s wedding. I got the MRI result on the following Wednesday that showed 2 large masses and had an urgent biopsy on the Friday. So its fait to say at this moment I’m concerned knowing that the outcome of the biopsy test could potentially change my future dramatically.

My biopsy result showed that I had 2 advanced and dangerous tumours and after getting multiple opinions, it was agreed that I needed an open prostate removal surgery.
An urgent PET scan was then performed at the Alfred hospital to determine whether the cancer had spread to other area’s of my body – this wait was the hardest one but luckily mine was contained.

Unfortunately, I had complications from the biopsy causing prostate, bladder and kidney infections that put me in hospital which added 2 weeks to my surgery date.

So, 6 weeks later I had my prostate and the nasty cancer with additional tissue removed due to the spread of the cancer beyond the boundaries of the prostate.
The surgery went well and the following 4 weeks was challenging but he I am, improving every day, getting stronger and closer to returning to work and my life.

Things I’ve learnt from my experience:-
- Your loved ones go on this journey with you so utilising the massive support systems within the Prostate cancer community is essential. Believe me, my wife has been incredible and my pillar but we both have needed counselling and a support group to get us through.
- You don’t need symptoms to have prostate cancer, many people have a random sample not expecting anything abnormal to be found.
- Don’t rely on your GP to determine when you should get a PSA test.
- Don’t believe the incorrect information that prostate cancer is an old person’s disease – people in their early 40’s are having treatment for prostate cancer.
- ADVOCATE FOR YOUSELF when it comes to your health.
- Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Australia so it is even more reason to get a PSA if you’re a man over 40.
-No longer do health professionals need to do a digital examination to assess for Prostate cancer – the new first step is the PSA blood test. You just have to ask for one.

So , yes today is my birthday and I’m celebrating being cancer free which hopefully will allow me to have many more to come.

I can’t wait to get back to work and look after you guys as soon as I can. Stay tuned!

If you have any questions about the process, I’m available to anyone who wants a quick chat. Honestly though the best advice I can give is if you have any concerns – GET TESTED and if you need the best professional advice, please contact the Prostate Cancer Foundations of Australia either by phone or through their website.

Happy birthday to our boss man, Steve! 🥳💙

The heart and soul behind Bayside Therapy Group, an incredible therapist and a boss who genuinely cares about his team and every person who walks through our doors.

We hope you have the best birthday and feel very loved and celebrated today! Please join us in wishing Steve a very happy birthday! 🎉

Thank you to my 2 beautiful girls for organising such a special Fathers Day for me.
It’s been 3 weeks since my life saving surgery and today was exactly the lift I needed.
To all the other Dad’s out there, I hope you had a fantastic Day today.
To all the other gents out there fighting prostate cancer, I’m with you. Let’s fight this battle until we win!!!

BTW my recovery is on track and I can’t wait to get back to work at BTG sometime soon- Stay tuned!!

💙 THE UPDATE WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! 💙

Dad got to come home yesterday and, after everything his body has been through, managed to sleep right through the night!

He is naturally still in discomfort, but he’s positive, happy and ready to focus on his recovery, which, as we all know, is where Dad is an absolute beast.

The cancer was incredibly serious, but thankfully, Dad’s surgeon is basically the Wayne Carey of urology 😜

And now for the brilliant news we’ve all been hoping and praying for…

Dad has received his histology results, and ALL OF HIS MARGINS ARE CLEAR!

This means the surgery was a success and the surgeon was able to successfully remove the cancer!!

He’s already talking about getting back to work and cannot wait to return better and stronger than ever, but for now, his only job is to rest, recover and heal.

Thank you again to every single person who has supported Dad, our family and BTG throughout this journey. We truly couldn’t have made it through without the incredible love surrounding us.

Cancer picked the wrong bloke 💪🏻

To anyone who has faced cancer, or stood beside a family member or friend through their journey, our hearts are with you. We now understand, in a way we never could have just a few months ago, the fear, uncertainty, strength and courage that this road can bring.

An update from Liv 🤍

Dad is doing so, so much better today!

Following surgery on Wednesday evening, he spent around two and a half hours in recovery due to low oxygen levels and remained on oxygen overnight. Yesterday morning brought very little sleep and a high level of pain and seeing him being helped up and encouraged to walk was honestly quite emotional and difficult for me to watch.

But today feels like such a huge step forward. He is talking more clearly, feeling much better, has managed to have a shower and even walked an entire lap around his ward 🥹

Barb sent me a video of his walk this morning and I couldn’t help but screenshot this beautiful little victory moment. Just look at those arms up 🥹

His surgeon is extremely happy with how the surgery went and believes he was able to remove everything. We now need to wait for the pathology and blood test results before we know more, but we are feeling incredibly positive.

The hardest part is behind him and now the recovery journey begins. We’re all so unbelievably proud of you, Dad!

Thank you again to everyone who has checked in, sent messages and continued supporting Dad, our family and the entire BTG team. It truly means more than we can express.

— Liv & family 🩵

A little update from Liv 💙

Friday marked Steve’s final day in the clinic and he is now officially beginning his 8 week recovery period.

With the big day being Tomorrow, Steve has spent the past few days visiting and relaxing at some of his favourite spots, taking time to recharge his energy levels, clear his mind and mentally prepare himself for both the surgery and the recovery ahead.

His surgery is currently expected to begin at around 4:00pm Tomorrow. We’re all feeling a mixture of emotions, but we’re hopeful that everything goes smoothly and that Tomorrow marks the beginning of a successful recovery.

Thank you again for all the love, support and well wishes you’ve sent Steve, our family and the BTG team. It truly means more than we can put into words.

I’ll continue to keep everyone updated throughout his surgery and recovery 💙

-Liv

Enjoying moments

I honestly have no words ❤️

Today absolutely blew us away

The amount of love, kindness and support that surrounded Dad today was something we'll never forget. I've always known Dad has played a special role in so many people's lives over the last 30 years, but watching everyone rally around him throughout his cancer journey has shown me just how many people genuinely care. It has made my heart so incredibly full.

To every single person who came down Today, bought a sausage, grabbed a drink, booked a massage, entered our raffles, donated, shared our event, or simply stopped by to say hello... thank you!
Every single dollar raised and every kind word means more than you'll ever know.

A very special thank you to our incredible therapists Chris, Claire and Rachael, who generously volunteered their time today to provide massages and help us raise money for Dad's upcoming medical expenses. Your kindness and generosity never go unnoticed.

To our family and friends who jumped in wherever they were needed, cooked sausages, sold raffle tickets, helped set up, packed down and kept everything running... thank you. We genuinely couldn't have done Today without you.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for reminding us just how amazing our community really is ❤️

Over the next week, Dad and I will share another update as he prepares for his upcoming surgery, so please keep an eye on our page.

🎟️ RAFFLE UPDATE 🎟️

As you can probably imagine, we are absolutely exhausted! 😂 After the fundraiser finished, we still had to pack everything away and get the clinic back to normal so our therapists could return to work tomorrow morning.

Because of that, all raffle winners will be drawn on Tuesday by Dad and myself. We'll announce the winners across our social media pages, so please keep an eye on your phone, you might just be one of our lucky winners!

Finally... I wanted to share something that has me completely overwhelmed 🙊

Our goal has always been to raise $15,000 to help Dad with the significant medical expenses he'll face over the coming months.

Between everything raised Today and the incredible generosity shown through our GoFundMe, we're now only around $1,500 away from reaching that goal.
That is because of you!

Every donation, every raffle ticket, every sausage, every massage, every share, every kind word... it has all added up to something truly incredible.

From our entire family, thank you for standing beside Dad through this journey.
We will never forget it ❤️

- Liv xx