AUTHOR AND MEN'S HEALTH ADVOCATE BRETT WHITFORD QUESTIONS MOVEMBER SPENDING AND PROSTATE CANCER NURSING CHANGES

AUTHOR AND MEN'S HEALTH ADVOCATE BRETT WHITFORD QUESTIONS MOVEMBER SPENDING AND PROSTATE CANCER NURSING CHANGES

# WHITFORD SAYS HE WILL NOT BE DONATING TO MOVEMBER, BUT STRAIGHT TO THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA

# HE ALSO SLAMS THE DECISION TO DIVERT PROSTATE CANCER NURSES TO McGRATH FOUNDATION

# ACCORDING TO WHITFORD, THIS WILL MEAN LESS MEN ACCESS SPECIALIST NURSES AS McGRATH FOUNDATION IS KNOWN AS A BREAST CANCER CHARITY

# COMMONWEALTH FUNDING FOR PROSTATE CANCER NURSES WILL END IN JULY NEXT YEAR, WITH NURSES NOW TO OPERATE UNDER A 'ALL-CANCER' MODEL

Author, entrepreneur and men's health advocate Brett Whitford has announced he will not be donating to Movember this year, instead choosing to support the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) directly.

Whitford said his decision was influenced by concerns about how charitable donations are allocated, as well as recent changes to the funding model for specialist prostate cancer nursing services in Australia.

His comments come as Movember launches its annual fundraising campaign, fronted this year by former NRL player Luke Bateman.

Whitford said he believes Australians should carefully consider where their donations will have the greatest direct impact.

"I would rather donate directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, where I know my contribution is supporting services specifically focused on prostate cancer patients and their families," Whitford said.

Whitford has also spoken out against the Federal Government's decision to transition Commonwealth-funded prostate cancer nursing services from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia to the McGrath Foundation under a broader cancer care model.

On 31 August, the Government announced that Commonwealth funding for the PCFA nursing program would cease on 30 June 2027, with services to be incorporated into a national all-cancer nursing framework administered by the McGrath Foundation.

Whitford said he fears the change could reduce awareness and accessibility of specialist support services for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"McGrath Foundation has built an outstanding reputation in breast cancer care and support," Whitford said.

"However, many Australians still primarily associate the organisation with breast cancer. My concern is that fewer men may be aware of, or engage with, prostate cancer nursing services under the new model."

"Prostate cancer patients deserve specialised care designed around their unique needs. The success of prostate cancer nursing programs has been built on specialist expertise, dedicated advocacy and an unwavering focus on men's health."

"Australia already faces significant challenges in encouraging men to seek medical advice, access health services and discuss serious health issues. We should be strengthening specialist support for men, not creating uncertainty around services they know and trust."

Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Australian men, with thousands of families relying on specialist nurses for guidance from diagnosis through treatment and recovery.

Whitford said he hopes policymakers will continue to prioritise dedicated men's health initiatives and maintain strong support for specialist prostate cancer services.

TO INTERVIEW BRETT WHITFORD, email marta@marksonsparks.com or call Marta Wiacek on 0409 291 785 or email max@marksonsparks.com or call Max Markson on 0412 501 601.

About Brett Whitford

Brett Whitford, writing as B. Beaumont Whitford, is an entrepreneur, author and public intellectual based in Byron Bay. A former Royal Australian Air Force serviceman who left school at 17, Whitford went on to found and list three companies on the Australian Securities Exchange, achieving a combined market capitalisation of more than $800 million.

He is the author of five bestselling business books published by Simon & Schuster in Australia and the United Kingdom and also holds a writing credit on the BBC comedy Dossa & Joe alongside the late Caroline Aherne. His forthcoming book, Memento Mori, Amor Fati, explores philosophy, human nature and the search for meaning in modern life.