To help keep this forum a welcoming, supportive and caring place we have put together a small list of dos and don'ts for you to think about when posting on our forum.
Our online forum is for you to share experiences with others and does not contain specialist medical advice - We encourage you to seek advice from medical professionals.
No commercial or promotional activity - While contributors may share information about resources they have found helpful, the Prostate Cancer NZ Online Forum should not be used for the promotion of goods and services. This includes commercial entities passing themselves off as individuals and people who frequently post links to external websites.
Be kind to each other - many people using the forum are going through a difficult time. A few kind words can go a long way. Please welcome new posters – it can be very nerve-wracking to post on the forum for the first time.
You can show your appreciation or thanks for a post by clicking on the "Heart" button to the right of that post.
Speak your mind freely, but please be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others - you might not always agree, but you can agree to disagree in a peaceful manner.
Don't use offensive language - if a user is found to be using offensive language during their conversations the moderators reserve the right to edit the thread, without warning.
Don't use all capital letters in your posts - it's considered ‘shouting' online and it makes posts difficult to read.
Give each other the benefit of the doubt - please remember that it is all too easy for the tone and meaning of posts to be misinterpreted. Think carefully before replying to a discussion. Likewise it is important to remember that things written rather than said can feel much stronger, so please bear this in mind when reading other people's messages.
Please respect the moderators - their job is to keep the forum safe and constructive so that everybody gets to have his or her fair say.
Stay on topic - try to focus on the original topic. In particular, don't change subject in the middle of an existing thread - just start a new thread.
Don't start a new topic if your post relates to an existing one - reply to the existing thread instead. Make sure you reply to the appropriate post, not just the last post in the thread.
Please try not to use abbreviations - Please try to use correct punctuation in your posts – long sentences with no commas or full stops can be confusing and difficult to read.
Read what's already on the forum before posting - you may be repeating what others have already said or asked.
