The widow of a man who took his own life while receiving treatment for prostate cancer is taking her fight to raise awareness of the disease to Parliament House in Canberra today.

Farmer Liz Heggaton from Kojonup in Western Australia said she had “tragically become an accidental advocate” for prostate cancer awareness after her husband Craig died by suicide last year.

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Mr Heggaton was undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

His wife said she believed its side effects played a major role in the decline of his mental health.

ADT is a hormone treatment commonly prescribed for men with advanced prostate cancer because it blocks the testosterone on which the cancer feeds.

It slows the progress of the cancer, but the side effects can be debilitating.

“We certainly don’t want men to stop taking ADT, but in Craig’s case it absolutely messed with his mental wellbeing — it was like he slipped into the abyss,” Ms Heggarton said.

Craig Heggaton was diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 56. (ABC Great Southern: Kate Forrester)

The former nurse, who shared her late husband’s story on Australian Story earlier this year, is hoping to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Health Minister Mark Butler to raise awareness of the potential side effects of the treatment and about prostate cancer in general.

“I will be trying to talk to as many politicians as I can to push the agenda of ‘please take this deadly disease more seriously,'” Ms Heggaton said.

“It’s time for prostate cancer to come out of the dark and into the light, and for everyone to know more about prostate, to feel more comfortable talking about it, and for men to start getting tested earlier.”

Liz Heggaton says she wants Australia’s leaders to take the disease more seriously. (Supplied)

Huge increase in suicide risk

Prostate Cancer Australia chief executive Anne Savage said men diagnosed with prostate cancer had “a 70 per cent increased risk of suicide”.

“That is at least partially attributable to the fact they are not being offered the support and the information they require when they are diagnosed and recommended life-changing treatments like ADT,” she said.

She said ADT was effective in treating prostate cancer but it was “vitally important” counselling was embedded into the process so that men could navigate cancer “with their eyes wide open”.

Anne Savage says men receiving ADT need to receive better mental health support. (ABC News: John Gunn)

Ms Savage has called on the federal government to expand the prostate cancer specialist nursing service and “radically” boost its support for research and clinical trials.

“Our overarching goal is zero deaths from prostate cancer within 10 years,” she said.

“We are one of few countries in the world that can achieve that ambition and we’ll be very proud to stand up and say that we’ve done it … if the government will come with us.”

A government spokesperson said in a statement everything possible was being done to support people with prostate cancer and their carers.

That included funding a range of programs, including $35.4 million over three years for specialist nurse support via the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

‘You’re not bulletproof’

Tony Seabrook wants to raise awareness about prostate cancer. (Four Corners)

Tony Seabrook, who farms at York, 100 kilometres east of Perth, has endured his own battle with prostate cancer.

He said he had watched as the disease “ripped” through nearly 50 people in his community.

Mr Seabrook said despite the prevalence of prostate cancer, many people were still putting their “head in the sand” to avoid talking about it.

“Every time I’ve brought the subject up amongst the friends of mine that have been through the path of having the cancer and having it treated … they don’t want to talk about it,” he said.

“Then I start talking to the people that have not been diagnosed and [they say], ‘Well, it’s never going to happen to me, I’m alright.’

“Women are far more conscious of the requirement to [get] the mammograms and the testing for [breast cancer], but most blokes say, ‘Nah mate, I’m off to the footy.'”

Tony Seabrook says there needs to be more conversations about prostate cancer. (Supplied: Colin Wimbridge)

Mr Seabrook said lives could be saved if there were more “critical” conversations about prostate cancer, regular check-ups and an understanding of the importance of early diagnosis.

“It is a topic of discussion that should be entered into openly, honestly and clearly amongst blokes that could easily end up in a situation where they’ve been diagnosed,” he said.

“You’re not bloody immune, you’re not bulletproof.

“Mate, it’s your bloody health — this can kill you or it can maim you. Get on it, be in charge of it.”

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