A Pilbara nurse’s Dry July will raise money for prostate cancer and she has urged for more Indigenous support

A Pilbara palliative care nurse will take part in Dry July to raise funds for prostate cancer and she has urged for more support to be provided to First Nations communities. Jonita Lewis, who works on country to provide healthcare to First Nations people, has taken part in multiple Dry Julys and this year has decided to raise fund for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. She said her decision to support the PCFA this year was a personal one. “I chose prostate cancer research because I had a patient pass away who I was very connected to, who had no family and had to do this all on his own,” she said. “The Elder had metastatic prostate cancer which had spread to the brain and liver. When he died, he left me his trucker hat and didn’t want anyone else to touch him apart from me and one other nurse. “He was incredibly important to me, so that’s why this year I am honouring him - may he Rest In Peace.” Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer for men, with a diagnosis every 22 minutes and 25,000 new cases every year. Ms Lewis said from first-hand experience she had seen how more support on the issue needed to be provided to First Nations communities. “Giving up your wine a night isn’t too hard when you have some perspective. We need funding, resources, and education to keep First Nations patients supported during this time,” she said. “Remote palliative care nurses like me carry this weight very seriously and we need help.” Around 250,000 men are alive today after a prostate cancer diagnosis.