PSA Testing - The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust
Now that all three of our planned Testing sessions have been completed at Northampton, Peterborough and Corby, we can now look back and consider the success of the initiative, how it came about and perhaps more crucially, where do we go from here?
Even though the Province of Dorset was the first to launch the initiative in 2014, it was in the early part of 2016 that we began to take note of promotional material and Social Media postings from a growing number of Provinces who, by then, had already launched their own individual arrangements with 1300 Brethren passing through PSA testing sessions.
My own time as Grand Superintendent was drawing to a close and ever conscious of the vast sums we are proud to distribute to so many worthy causes each year through the MCF and individual Provinces, it occurred to me that sometimes, just sometimes, we should also be thinking of the well-being and health of all those Brethren/Companions who make such generosity possible.
With one in seven men said to be contracting Prostate Cancer – the most prevalent cancer in men with well over 40,000 diagnoses a year - and now said to have overtaken female breast cancers as a primary cause of death, it was time to take action. With monies accruing year by year on the Royal Arch Provincial Charity accounts, it was then that the Royal Arch Provincial Executive took the decision under the Royal Arch banner to join those other Craft Provinces involved in the PSA Testing initiative.
And what a way therefore to end my tenure as Grand Superintendent and what a gesture of appreciation to recognise the support I had received throughout Province and the generous contributions made to the HRA Provincial Charity over the years. I therefore remain grateful to E Comp Mike Green, our Provincial Grand Charity Steward at the time and our Provincial Grand Treasurer for so willingly taking on board all the administration and promotional work with the Warwick based Graham Fulford Charitable Trust. We took advice from the dozen or so Provinces by then already participating.
Simple PSA blood tests cannot be 100% guaranteed – they merely prove an indicator, a reasonable guide and allowing for extenuating and other personal circumstances, they might indicate the presence of a possible cancer in its early stages but whereby ALL participants would be advised to consult with their own GP with their personal, confidential results especially where further advice and referrals be recommended.
In the Summer of last year, we decided to go ahead. The initiative had the full support of the Provincial Grand Master and arrangements were set for our own testing sessions at Northampton (November 2017), Peterborough (February earlier this year) and Corby in April just past. By the Summer 2017, over 5000 Brethren/Companions had been tested in other participating Provinces – 89% were confirmed as clear of any potential problem but 300 or so (6.3%) were in need of further examination and with 46 participants already then undergoing immediate surgical procedures. This, we felt, warranted our own involvement.
PSA Testing is indeed available on the NHS - although The Times in June of last year reported that one in ten men were refused an NHS test by their own GP. And how many of us would take
time out to make an appointment with our GP, wait until the next available date and then to find that other more pressing issues had to take priority. No – a Provincial wide initiative for Companions and other non-Royal Arch brethren might focus the mind and in the event, we received 127 participants in Northampton, 119 in Peterborough and 184 in Corby. In total, 22 Companions/Brethren received a “red” indicator where immediate referral to individual GPs was urgently advised.
The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust now follow up with all participants who have fallen into this category to ensure that appropriate action was being taken. We know not who they are – results are confidential to the participant - but we have been grateful for all the complimentary comments and feedback we have received for introducing such an initiative and which has ensured that at least 22 of our Companions/Brethren are now receiving treatment for a deadly threat which they simply didn’t know they had.
But Companions/Brethren, where do we go from here? Ideally, a follow-up test in 24 months might seem appropriate – but who funds it? We have greatly reduced our Provincial Charitable Fund to achieve the success we have so far and we have been grateful for the voluntary donations we received on the morning of testing by so many participants. But does the individual look to cover the cost of any further tests, do Chapters take this initiative on board for future, modest contributions or do we seek support, in whole or in part, from the Craft and the Provincial Grand Charity at a time when we are all heavily engaged in Festival 2024. Options will no doubt be discussed in some detail by the Royal Arch Provincial Executive with all participating parties in due course but, for the time being, we can be well pleased with the initiative we have taken and for the results which have come to light.
Just ask those 22 Brethren/Companions whose future might now be so much brighter. They will agree and thank you all for the support you have given with so much enthusiasm to such an important and well received project.
E Comp Wayne Williams
Past ME Grand Superintendent
Royal Arch Province of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire