Thursday, 19 June

 

Oxfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group

Newsletter

19th. June 2014

RIVER CRUISE

 

Sunday 29 June: 2.30 p.m. - River cruise from Abingdon Bridge with jazz and cream tea at a cost of £15 per person

We are delighted that so many members and friends have decided to take part.  There are just a few places left.  If you have not booked, here is what you need to do:

Contact George Goldsmith on 01235 763486 to make sure there is still a place available, then send a cheque made out to ‘OPCSG’ to George Goldsmith, 2 Ridgeway Court, Wolage Drive, Wantage, OX12 9NP – or if booking very late please bring the money on the day.

Parking is available in the Rye Meadow car park, across the bridge from Abingdon town centre and opposite the cricket and football grounds, costing £3.10 for 4 hours.  From there walk back across the bridge and turn right into the grounds of the Upper Reaches hotel.  The boat will be moored by the hotel, with signs to reach it.

GROUP MEETINGS
On Monday 2 June we welcomed back two speakers involved in research with prostate cancer patients: Professor Eila Watson, Professor of Supportive Cancer Care, Oxford Brookes University, and Dr Prasanna Sooriakumaran (PS), Senior Clinical Researcher in Robotics & Urology, University of Oxford & Honorary Consultant Urological Surgeon, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.  They both talked about the research studies they are conducting on quality of life and follow-up care for men with prostate cancer, and their presentations provoked lively discussion.  We hope that Eila will return next year with an update on her findings, and if PS’s funding bid is successful he will be recruiting 25 volunteers from the ranks of OPCSG to take part in his survey, “Capturing quality of life outcomes in men with prostate cancer: what’s important to the patient rather than the doctor”. 

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.

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 date of the next meeting of the Banbury group will be announced on the website as soon as it is known.

SUPPORTING THE HOSPITALS

We hope soon to be able to announce significant funding that we are providing for a project in the Urology department in conjunction with the local charity DUO.

SUPPORT MALCOLM’S BIKE RIDE

OPCSG member Malcolm Fairbrother and his family are taking part in the ‘London 50’ bike ride on 6 July, which will end in Oxford.  They will be raising money for the Prostate Cancer Research Centre.  They have already received pledges of well over £3000 for this great cause.  If you would like to sponsor Malcolm’s effort, please go to http://www.justgiving.com/owner-email/pleasesponsor/Malc-Fairbrother.  Good luck Malcolm, and what a fantastic fundraising effort already!  The riders will arrive during the day at Oxpens Meadow.  If you are in Oxford on 6 July, why not go and cheer them home?  Also, the organisers are looking for helpers at the finish at any time between 10.30 a.m. and 5 p.m.  The volunteers will be handing out water bottles and certificates, standing by the charity gazebo and congratulating the riders when they cross the finish line.  To offer your services please contact Tanya Smith on tsmith@prostate-cancer-research.org.uk.

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:

30 June – Cassington Bike Night – this is a big event and plenty of helpers are needed

20 July – West Oxon Steam and Vintage Show, Ducklington

10 August – Finmere Show

24 August – Uffington Show

5 October – Banbury Boat Day

If you can help at any of these events please contact Bob Butler on 01865 881697 or John Goldsmith on 01865 580152.

Finally, on a personal note: at the end of the last group meeting I said that I had had over three years of post-operative incontinence but had recently had a small procedure done which had almost entirely resolved the problem.  Within minutes four or five men had come to ask for details.  If you have experienced or are experiencing incontinence after prostate cancer treatment and would like to share your experience and hear about what worked for me (no guarantee that it would necessarily be the solution for you too, but sharing knowledge is one of OPCSG’s main aims) please feel free to get in touch – contact details at the foot of this Newsletter, but note that I away from home 21 – 28 June.

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