Australian Deputy Prime Minister Quits Job over Pelvic Pain

[webslave]

Anderson urges men's prostate cancer checks
15-08-2005
From: AAP

FORMER Nationals leader John Anderson has urged men to seek medical help if they think they have prostate problems.

Mr Anderson, 48, quit his job as Nationals leader in June based on medical advice about a stress-related prostate condition - prostatitis - he had suffered for 12 years.

He has since moved to the government's backbench and now wants more men with possible prostate problems to seek help.

"Men need to talk about these things," Mr Anderson told Channel 9's in an interview screened last night.

"If they think they've got a problem, go and seek some medical advice.

"You may be like me and be very relieved to know it's not life threatening.

"You may have something more serious, it could be cancer, but in that case you're still better off knowing about it and trying to deal with it."

Mr Anderson said he first became aware he had a problem during a trip to the United States in 1992.

"One night I just felt all night long that I needed to go and relieve myself but when I did virtually nothing happened," he said.

"And the level of discomfort and, I have to say, the fatigue the next day really did concern me.

"I have had high levels of discomfort, particularly in the evenings and often when I'm flying and the problem with not being able to sleep is that it is cumulative."

When he was diagnosed with a prostate condition, at age 36, Mr Anderson said he feared he had cancer.

"That's why I say to men I understand that if you're hit by something like this it'll frighten the living daylights out of you," he said.

Prostate expert, Professor Tony Costello, praised Mr Anderson for speaking out publicly about his condition.

"I think he's done prostatitis sufferers out there a big favour by allowing the community to be aware about this condition because it had never been talked about in public before," he said.

More here and here.

John's profile on wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ander ... olitician)

My personal message to John:

Thank you, John, for having the courage to come forward publicly on this issue, and helping to de-stigmatize male chronic pelvic pain! I stand willing to help you in any way I can if you decide to email me privately. I believe that the course you have taken in giving up the stressful lifestyle of a government front bencher is a wise decision and will help to put you on the road to healing.

[davioj]

What a story. Since he quit his stressfull job three years ago does anybody know if he recovered and what happened to him?

[Jay]

Wow, that's pretty damn big news for our community. I think that's the first time someone on the world leadership scale has come out openly about this, no?

I also note that the article specifically labels prostatitis as a stress-related condition!

[webslave]

He was in the news this week
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/stor ... 52,00.html

[elitynski]

Imagine if he went to Stanford and had success - that would be quite an endorsement!!

[Ausie]

Yes he is a great man to come out in the open, I just wish with his power, he had opened a special centre for CPPS and continued the research in Australia.

[webslave]

This is only news but I found a transcript (link now in the top post) that's worth looking at, from 60 Minutes (Australian version):

Transcript

PETER OVERTON: John Anderson feels right at home in the wide open spaces of Gunnedah, in country NSW, mustering cattle with his family. Until recently, he was Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, but that troublesome male organ, the prostate, changed all that.

JOHN ANDERSON: In 1992 I was in the United States of America, and one night I just felt, all night long, that I needed to go and relieve myself. But when I did, virtually nothing happened. And the level of discomfort, and I have to say the fatigue the next day, really did concern me.

PETER OVERTON: Men aren't all that comfortable talking about their prostates. This small gland sits just below the bladder. Its only function is to make seminal fluid. Once a man finishes fathering children, it no longer serves any purpose. Urinary symptoms are often the first sign of a problem. You were possibly thinking, "I could be facing cancer at 36 years of age"?

JOHN ANDERSON: Oh, when it first happened, yeah. That's why I say to men, "I understand that if you're hit by something like this, it will frighten the living daylights out of you."

PETER OVERTON: For the past 12 years, John Anderson has carried out his duties without any hint of the struggle he's been having with his health. But he's far from alone. Every man at some point in his life will have a problem with his prostate and nearly 10 percent face serious complications. Men like Alan Pease.

ALAN PEASE: It's about that big, the size of a walnut, a tiny little thing that most blokes don't know about and I never did. And I guess if I hadn't had it out, well, I would be dead.

PETER OVERTON: And musician Pete Wells.

PETE WELLS: If I knew then what I know now they would have picked it up. But I didn't know anything about it. I didn't even know I had one or what it was.

PETER OVERTON: John Anderson considers himself lucky. His condition is not life threatening. It's called prostatitis, the inflammation of the prostate, but it is extremely painful and can seriously affect your quality of life.

JULIA ANDERSON: It shows you've got character, and you've got plenty of that.

PETER OVERTON: Wife Julia has watched the condition slowly wear her husband down.

JULIA ANDERSON: John has, for years, been very tired. And he's just kept going and kept going and kept going and he's now at the stage where he's physically very tired.

JOHN ANDERSON: I have had high levels of discomfort, particularly in the evenings, and often when I'm flying. They seem to be the things that blight me. And the problem with not being able to sleep is that it is cumulative.

PROFESSOR TONY COSTELLO: I think he's done the prostatitis sufferers out there a big favour by allowing the community to be aware about this condition because it has never been talked about in public before.

PETER OVERTON: Professor Tony Costello is one of Australia's leading urologists. He specialises in the treatment of prostate conditions, including prostate cancer and prostatitis.

PROFESSOR TONY COSTELLO: Now that's a really difficult condition to treat. It's chronic.

PETER OVERTON: Is it stress-related?

PROFESSOR TONY COSTELLO: It is stress-related and often I've seen a lot of patients with a high profile in the community who have this condition and they've had to step back in their profession to look after their own health.