Qantas partners with Prostate Cancer Foundation

Qantas 737-838 VH-VZO wears the Prostate Cancer Foundation's logo. (Brenden Scott)

Qantas has announced a partnership with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, which will see it fly nurses from across Australia to undertake specialist prostate cancer nurse training, and aim to help raise awareness of prostate cancer through placing the a foundation’s logo on a 737, advertising, inflight announcements and on-board messaging.

“Qantas is honoured to be supporting Australia’s first specialist prostate cancer nurses who will play a vital role for those affected either directly or indirectly by prostate cancer,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement. “Earlier this year I was tested and discovered that I had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. I was able to have an operation quickly and was back at work within a few weeks.

“My doctor told me that there was an 80 per cent chance that I would have been dead within 10 years if it hadn’t been detected when it was. I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones and would encourage all men over 40 to be tested regularly.

“Around 60 per cent of Qantas’s 35,000 workforce is made up of men, particularly men over 40, so we will also be helping to raise awareness within the company.”

Qantas says the new prostate cancer specialist nurses will provide a nursing service for men and families impacted by prostate cancer.

The launch was also attended by federal treasurer Wayne Swan.

“I’m really proud to be involved in this initiative which is all about getting nurses across the country and supporting them in their vital work,” Swan said. “As a survivor of prostate cancer, a great passion of mine in life is to bring greater awareness to blokes who are most at risk. The reality is, if it weren’t for early detection nearly 10 years ago, there is every chance I wouldn’t be here today.”

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia says prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, and is the second highest cause of cancer deaths in Australian men.