Oxfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group
Newsletter
21st. July 2014
RIVER CRUISE REPORT
The annual OPCSG river cruise on Sunday 29 June was blessed by good weather. Just under one hundred members and friends boarded the Salters steamer at Abingdon Bridge and sailed serenely downstream through Culham lock and beyond. The jazz trio (Mike, Colin and Dave) entertained us and ensured lots of friendly waves from the banks of the river, and the cream teas proved extremely popular. By the time the boat returned to Abingdon everyone was already looking forward to another cruise next year. Many thanks to all the Committee members involved in organising this great day out, not least John and Janet Goldsmith who arranged the cream teas.
FUTURE MEETINGS to be held at Oxford Golf Club from 6.30 p.m. onwards:
Monday 1 September: This meeting will be an open forum and social quiz. We shall be inviting members to submit topics that they would like to hear discussed in the forum, and already the topic of diet and prostate cancer has been put forward. If you would like to add a topic to the list for discussion please let me know – contacts below.
Monday 20 October: Paul Mayhew-Archer, script writer and comedian, will give an illustrated talk about his life in film, television and radio. Paul has been co-writer of 'The Vicar of Dibley' and is currently writing and filming the forthcoming TV film version of Roald Dahl's ‘Esio Trot’ starring Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench. This will be a hilarious evening of comic memories and anecdotes.
Saturday 6 December at 7 pm: Skittles evening at the Ferryman's Arms, Bablock Hythe
BANBURY: The Banbury group has been holding regular meetings and would welcome attendance from any men in the region affected by prostate cancer, together with wives or partners. The next meetings will take place on Wednesdays 13 August and 24 September at 7.00 for 7.30 p.m., at The Cromwell, North Bar, Banbury.
SUPPORTING NEWLY DIAGNOSED MEN – Can you help?
An important part of OPCSG’s work is to provide advice and guidance to men who have had a new diagnosis of prostate cancer. Whilst we cannot give medical advice, we can offer support from our own experience. We are trying to set up a register of men who would be willing to talk to others on a one-to-one basis about their experience of treatment and recovery. Then if, for example, a man gets in touch who is newly diagnosed and is considering radical surgery, we can put him in touch with someone who has been down that route; or if he’s being offered hormone treatment we can make it possible for him to speak to a man who’s been through it. If you feel able to help in this way and are prepared to have your name put on our contact list, please contact George Goldsmith on 01235 763486 or via secopcsg@btinternet.com. Names and details will be held in strict confidence and not passed to any third party.
SUPPORTING THE HOSPITALS
After months of negotiation we are delighted that it has been possible to use OPCSG funds to purchase a Urinalysis machine and a Flowrate meter for the Churchill Hospital. These are items which can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of men with prostate cancer and other conditions. The Urinalysis machine was purchased with money donated to OPCSG in memory of the wife of our member Fred Edwards.
DUO, the urology charity, is inviting us to join them at their annual barbecue: The Dragon School, Bardwell Road, Oxford, Friday 29 August at 7.30 pm. Please let me know if you would like to attend.
CANCER RESEARCH UK RELAY FOR LIFE
We have received the following invitation to take part as 'survivors' in Cancer Research UK's event in Oxford on 16-17 August. Please respond directly to the organisers if you want to take part:
“Relay For Life is a 24 hour fundraising event where all funds raised by will go to CRUK projects and research exclusively in the Oxford area. Whilst more information about our event can be found at www.relayforlifeoxford.co.uk the specific reason for my message today is that I wish to invite cancer survivors from Oxfordshire to attend the opening of Relay For Life.
May I invite members of your group to attend Relay For Life Oxford?
We invite Survivors to walk the very first lap of the Relay to open the event. Once that is done, they take a seat at the side of track and see all the other teams of fundraisers parading together for their first laps with their team banners. And finally, we then treat the Survivors to a free lunch to thank them and make them feel special.
I must stress that we do not expect any Survivors to fundraise for CRUK or our event. It is totally free to sign up to Relay as a Survivor and the link to do so is here:
http://www.relayforlifeoxford.co.uk/signup.html
Please could you forward this message to members of the group so that we can have as large a number of cancer survivors present at Relay for Life Oxford as possible. They will be the inspiration to our other fundraisers and remind us all that progress is being made to help beat cancer sooner.”
VOLUNTEERS PLEASE! As usual OPCSG will be attending many outdoor events over the summer period to raise awareness of prostate cancer. Volunteers are always welcome. It can be a rewarding experience to share personal experience with others and spread the word for men to get checked, while at the same time having an afternoon or evening at an event. Forthcoming dates are:
10 August – Finmere Show 24 August – Uffington Show 5 October – Banbury Boat Day
If you can help at any of these events please contact John Goldsmith on 01865 580152 or George Goldsmith on 01235 763486
Keep in touch with news and events on our website, http://www.opcsg.org/homepage, and let us know if you would like copies of our leaflets to give to people or display somewhere where they may be seen.
Kind regards, John Grundy Vice Chairman, OPCSG
If you no longer wish to receive this Newsletter please let me know on john@grundybell.demon.co.uk or 01865 730110