Tackle Prostate Cancer (The National Federation of Prostate Cancer Support Group) became a charity in 2008, however the history of our federation started with our pioneering support groups in the mid-1990s.

One of the first recorded peer led Prostate Cancer Support Groups was formed in London in 1995 by Angus Earnshaw, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer while he was living in Holland. On his return to the UK, he discovered that there were no support groups for men with prostate cancer in this country. He wanted to create a somewhere where men who had just been diagnosed could ring and talk to someone on the other end of the phone. He understood how powerless it can feel, when you’re assailed by fear, grief and anger. He said it’s difficult for men to deal with strong emotions.

Later, in 1996 two men, Roy Nixon and Ray Dalton met to discuss their prostate cancer at a local pub in Cheadle Hulme near Manchester, where conversations led to them developing a plan to set up a local peer support group.

In 1998, 80 people attended the first prostate cancer meeting which was held in Christie’s hospital in Manchester. One of the people was John Dwyer (who later became our first Chairman), who had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 1998.

In 1999, the group set up by Angus Earnshaw developed into the Prostate Cancer Support Association (PCSA aka PSA). Several regional groups affiliated with PSA, including the Northwest group which was led by Roy Nixon. It was agreed that ‘one voice’ would be beneficial going forward, both to encourage as much local initiative as possible, and combine the voices of people living with and affected by Prostate Cancer nationally.

John Dwyer proposed and chaired a working party, to look into the PSA’s constitution to consider a variety of organisational structures. It was here he recommended that the regional groups should become independent, self-managing charities which the smaller local branches (themselves self-managing) could associate with. From here, the charities would come together to form a federation.

In November 2001, the group’s proposals were unanimously adopted and then later in 2008 we were finally able to launch our charity and get commitment from nearly 50 local support groups from around the UK!

The Prostate Cancer Support Federation (now known as Tackle – The National Federation of Prostate Cancer Support Groups) was launched at Imperial College in April 2008 and was formed from four peer-led organisations. These organisations consist of PCaSO Prostate Cancer Network, PCSA Central England, Prostate Cancer Support and PSA Prostate Cancer Support Association.

John Dwyer became the first chairman and said that the federation’s purpose, was to ‘provide a focus or forum for views, to generate a single voice of peer led prostate cancer groups, in relation to awareness, health care, advocacy and research priorities.’

Since the formation of the federation there has been huge developments in the way individuals, organisations and communities have or can be supported in the best possible way.

At present, we work with a range of stakeholders and partners from across the Prostate Cancer community, including Prostate Cancer Research, Prostate Cancer UK, Macmillan, Orchid, and CHAPs to mention a few.