Real Men’s Health is showcasing excellence in men’s health programs through our Men’s Health Program Series.
In each article, we will ask 5 questions of a featured program organiser to gain insight into what they do and their thoughts on men’s health today.
In this article, we speak with Mark Jensen from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia on the Life Force Program.
Q1: Could you please describe your role within the program?
I joined Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) in April 2022 as the Life Force Program Manager. This was a newly created program and role for the organisation and required an in-depth review of an existing community awareness program, then the development, implementation and management of a new national awareness program.
We launched the Life Force Program at the end of 2023 and rolled it out nationally.
The program involves trained volunteers with a connection to prostate cancer going into workplaces and community groups across the country to speak about prostate cancer and raise vital awareness about the disease.
Q2: Could you please describe what your program does?
The PCFA is Australia’s leading organisation for men and families impacted by prostate cancer. We fund research, awareness, and support, with more than 115 Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses across the country. We also deliver Australia’s only dedicated Prostate Cancer Telenursing Service and Counselling Service, providing Australians with evidence-based advice and care. Since PCFA’s inception, we have funded more than $70 million in prostate cancer research, towards our vision of zero deaths from prostate cancer in our lifetime.
PCFA also provides community education and awareness through the Life Force Program.
The purpose of this program is to raise awareness of prostate cancer and risks of the disease in workplaces and communities across Australia and encourage more men to take action to improve their health outcomes.
The program has over 50 volunteer community speakers based in all States and Territories across both regional, and metro areas of Australia. Most volunteers are men with first-hand experience of prostate cancer or are a family member or partner of someone who has, and who are passionate about changing the trajectory of men’s health.
Since launching in 2023, our volunteers have presented to more than 350 organisations and reached over 20,000 people.
Q3: What are the biggest changes you have observed within the men’s health space over the past 5-years?
I believe getting media coverage and important health and wellbeing information into the hands of the people who are at risk of disease has become more difficult. It’s no surprise that men are one of the hardest groups to reach and engage with; in relation to health messaging and them taking action.
With prostate cancer being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, and with 1 in 5 men at risk of developing the disease in their lifetime, creating knowledge and awareness of this risk and de-stigmatising many aspects of the disease throughout the community is a real challenge.
From what I’ve observed, during and post-COVID, many people became more complacent or less engaged with important health messaging as they were overwhelmed and fatigued from thinking about their health.
We are working hard to address the communication gaps and complacency in the community, and the Life Force program is helping take the message of prostate cancer directly to the people in both their workplaces and throughout local community settings across Australia.
Q4: If hypothetically, the Government offered you an unrestricted $1M grant tomorrow, what one project would you spend it all on?
Following two years of rigorous analysis by leading medical and scientific experts, PCFA has developed new 2025 Draft Guidelines for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer. These are expected to be approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council later this year.
The new guidelines will be a real game changer for early detection and treatment of prostate cancer in the future and provide evidence-based recommendations to health professionals involved in localised prostate cancer risk assessment, surveillance and treatment.
If we were given $1million in funding, I would love to see a General Practice (GP) and community awareness campaign rolled out about the 2025 Clinical Guidelines for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer.
Without GP education of these new guidelines to empower them to inform, educate and act with their patients in the primary healthcare setting, nothing will change.
In addition, if men are not made aware of their risk of prostate cancer and what action they should take, more lives will continue to be lost.
Some of PCFA’s current community engagement programs and awareness campaigns, including the Life Force program, could be bolstered to increase their reach and delivery into the community as part of a national GP education and community awareness campaign to support the rollout and delivery of these new guidelines.
Q5: And finally, could you discuss one moment early in your career which shaped your approach to your work?
Early in my career I came across the saying “love the job you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life”. This has stuck with me in every job I have had the pleasure of doing throughout my working life.
Previously, I worked in marketing, tourism and event organisations. Many aspects of those roles were collaborative, creative, and allowed for the exploration of new ideas, concepts and technologies. These really motivated me, not to mention offered very exciting opportunities and activities all while working with and meeting amazing people along the way.
After having been diagnosed with prostate cancer myself and going through several years of treatment, I felt the need to change my career to something more about purpose, passion and giving back.
It wasn’t long after that, that I saw PCFA were looking for someone to establish and grow the Life Force program. The role couldn’t have been more suited to my skill set and ticked every box for me in relation to purpose and principles, not to mention being involved in saving lives.
I’m highly motivated to make a real difference around prostate cancer awareness, and it still doesn’t feel like work.
Thank you for sharing with Real Men’s Health
