Tamworth prostate cancer support group receives $25,000 donation

"If you've never had a situation where you're diagnosed with cancer, it's hard to explain, but really what happens is you think, 'my God, what next?'" Mr Farina said.

Being confronted with Australia's costliest disease put Mr Farina in a dark place, but one of the things that helped him survive was joining the Tamworth and District Prostate Cancer Support Group, recommended to him by a specialist nurse.

"When I met these guys they were a diverse bunch. Some were younger than me, some were older, and I just found that they'd talk openly about their experiences, about their journey, and in that way it was a great support to me personally," Mr Farina said.

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He described how important it is for men, particularly men his age, to be able to open up and support each other, especially when suffering from an often-fatal disease.

"When you talk to someone who's had it themselves, then they can be more specific about what happened to them, how they've survived, what they do as a daily regimen to continue surviving," Mr Farina said.

Having been through radiation treatment, Mr Farina was recently elected president of the Tamworth and District Prostate Cancer Support Group.

One of his first acts as president was being guest speaker at a meeting and dinner held by the Lions Club of Tamworth.

The Lions Club then donated $25,000 to the support group, which Mr Farina said blew him away.

"I was blown away by their courtesy, it was great. They were a genial bunch of guys and it was lovely to spend a night like that," Mr Farina said.

The group's committee will decide how the money is used.

In the past, the group has used donations to support the National Cancer Institute, Can Assist, and Tamworth hospital's Inala House, where many of its members stay while receiving treatment.

The Lions Club raised the money through a mix of events including raffles, book sales, and the annual duck race.

President of the Lions Club of Tamworth Phil Greentree said it was important for the 43-member all-male club to show support for a group that helps many men suffering from prostate cancer.

"We think a lot of people still aren't aware of it. Blokes being blokes, they don't always look after themselves the way they should ... and we stuck with the support group because we like to keep the money in our local area," Mr Greentree said.

The support group was also recently given access to a room in Wests Diggers Club to use free of charge for a year and was a beneficiary of the annual PRD Tamworth Charity Ball in February.

The support group meets on the second Wednesday of every month.

Those looking to join or contact the group can do so through their Facebook page.

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