Warriors

Please Note:  Warrrior meetings take place over the Zoom platform.  If you are on the Warriors mailing list, you will get the link to the meeting a week or so before.

 

We meet 6 times yearly on the last Monday of odd numbered month over Zoom. At these meetings we address the concerns of newcomers/listen and respond to updates/ exchange information on research developments and clinical trials/ listen to topical presentations by specialists and Warriors.

Our meetings are at 7:00 p.m. on Mondays online via Zoom. 

Dates for 2024 : January 29th, March 25th, May 27th, July 29th, Sept 30th, Nov 25th (all on the last Monday of the month)

Between meetings we exchange information and provide advice by email.

There is now a facebook group.  Click here to see the group.  It’s a closed group and you have request to join by clicking on the [+ Join Group] button and be approved to see most of the content and to post.

Anyone who would like to benefit from the type of support that we provide may contact us at Prostate Cancer Support Toronto, via email info@pcstoronto.ca or by calling our support line number – 416-932-8820.

 

Some history

by Winston Klass (May 2011)

Just over a year ago six members of the Newmarket, Brampton, and Toronto support groups met to discuss the feasibility of a special support group for advanced prostate cancer survivors. Feedback from advanced as well as regular prostate cancer survivors had indicated that regular support meetings may not be fully catering to emotional and other needs of advanced prostate cancer survivors. At the end of this meeting the decision was made to launch a joint experimental online support group, with the understanding that at some point this group may progress to a full-fledged support group tailored to advanced prostate cancer survivors.  The definition of an advanced prostate cancer survivor was left open, with the decision to join our group left to individual assessments of relevance.

At this early stage our group activities follow relatively simple routines. Any newcomer circulates a profile of his prostate cancer journey (decision points, treatments, drugs, etc.) and members are invited to respond with advice by email or telephone under the guidance of a moderator. The moderator also circulates relevant information periodically from research papers and other sources.

The Calgary Warriors, a pioneer support group for advanced prostate cancer survivors, has provided strong leadership and encouragement, access to their
regular newsletters and Ken Dreger (a leader of this group) monitors our email traffic and helps us to refine group procedures. Our support group has grown to approximately 20 members and, with the Calgary Warriors size of 50 approximately, there is potential for significant growth of our membership.

Our first face to face meeting on Tuesday 2011 March 15  provided the opportunity for direct sharing of information and comparison of journeys.
This went over very well and it was decided that the group will meet quarterly.

In time, our support group will likely become the local chapter of a national online support network, thereby benefiting from advice and support from survivors all across Canada.