A Canning Vale teacher who went through prostate cancer surgery is starting a new support group to help other men facing similar challenges.
Andrew Gray, who has worked at Canning Vale College for 18 years, said his own recovery showed him there was little support available for men still in the workforce.
After surgery to remove his prostate in August 2024, Andrew Gray returned to his active role at the school. That is when he began to notice the physical toll recovery was taking.
“When I returned to work, I realised with the heat, the fatigue and the tiredness that my body wasn’t really coping,” he said.
Gray said he also struggled with continence issues and the exhaustion that often follows major surgery.
At the same time, he began searching for support groups in the area but found most were aimed at older men.
“Every support group I attended locally was men over 80, retired with multiple health issues,” he said.
“It just didn’t really appeal to me.”
That experience led him to start the Prostate Support Group for Working Men WA, based in Canning Vale.
Gray said the idea is to create a space where men who are still working, raising families and dealing with the pressures of everyday life can talk openly and connect with others going through similar experiences.
“Working men face very different challenges,” he said.
Many are trying to balance treatment, recovery, jobs and family responsibilities at the same time.
Andrew Gray said he could relate to that struggle.
He said fatigue was one of the hardest parts of recovery while continuing to work full time and support his family.
“My job starts at 7.30 and finishes at four o’clock. I then go home and I’ve got two kids going through Year 12,” he said. “I was just constantly tired.”
Exercise played a big role in helping him regain confidence during recovery.
Andrew Gray now practices yoga and said it became one of the most helpful tools in rebuilding his strength.
That experience, Gray stated, is now a big part of the support group.
Rather than simply sitting in a room talking, meetings will include gentle exercise such as yoga, pickleball and badminton.
“Men aren’t great sitting around in circles talking,” he said.
“But if they can play pickleball or do a bit of yoga, conversations start to happen.”
Gray said the aim is to combine conversations, information and physical activity to help men support one another.
Each session will include time for participants to share their experiences, followed by talks from guest speakers such as prostate cancer nurses, physiotherapists and other health professionals.
The group will then move into the gym space for light exercises.
In another development, Gray noted prostate health is an issue that affects many men across Australia.
“Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia at the moment,” he said.
He believes early testing and early diagnosis are important.
“The earlier it gets detected, the less invasive the procedures can be,” he said.
“If you leave it too long and it spreads, it becomes much harder to manage.”
Beyond the medical side, Gray said many men also face emotional challenges after diagnosis or surgery, including depression and relationship strain.
He hopes the new group will help men feel less alone.
“For me this is about connection,” he said.
“Come and meet some of your peers who are going through similar situations and make some connections.”
The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Canning Vale College.
Men experiencing prostate health issues, including prostate cancer, elevated PSA levels or enlarged prostate, are welcome to attend.
Gray added, “Real support, real understanding and real connection can make all the difference.”
Men interested in attending can contact the group at canningvalepcfa@gmail.com.
