Newsletter
28th November 2013
Hello everyone,
Lloyds Bank. We are pleased to report OPCSG came first in the recent voting for the Lloyds Bank Community Fund event and qualify to receive £3,000. A big thank you to everyone who voted for us – we received 40% of the 5,200 total votes cast for the four finalists. It appears that the number of mobile phone votes cast by us were critical. We qualified for consideration having been successful in getting through two preliminary rounds.
Expenditure. We are currently negotiating to purchase an additional Flow Meter for the Urology/Oncology units at the Churchill Hospital. The cost of this is in the region of £3,000. This is in addition to the TV and DVD player recently purchased. We are also updating our website and the new edition will be available shortly.
Banbury and District Sub-group. For some time we have talked around forming this group and now there is a good opportunity for it to become a reality. Member Tony Puddifoot has offered to co-ordinate this. We have several members in this catchment area and the new group would save them having to travel to Oxford. The group would initially hold meetings to get to know each other and take part in awareness events. This would be fully funded and supported by OPCSG and eventually, if it is their wish, they could become a ‘fully-fledged’ group with their own identity. If you would be interested in joining this group, please contact Tony 07796 286893 email tonypuddifoot@aol.com or myself 01235 763486 or email secopcsg@btinternet.com.
Forthcoming Events No further awareness or fund raising events are planned probably until March which is prostate cancer awareness month. The committee would take this opportunity to thank all of our members who have volunteered to help at events throughout the year – many hands make life easier.
Christmas Dinner and Skittles Night.
There are still a few places available. This is on Saturday 7th December at The Red Lion in Islip. Please contact John Goldsmith (01865 580152) if you have not already done so, and he will book you in.
Group Meetings 2014.
Monday 20 January - Ann MacEwan who is the Support Group Development Manager from Prostate Cancer UK will speak about the role of this major charity and the services it can offer to us. Ann is a prominent member of PCUK and we are delighted that she will be coming to talk to us. The Committee of OPCSG has just decided to apply for Partner status with PCUK in addition to our membership of the Federation, so this will be a timely and fascinating talk entitled “Providing Support – from an organisational and a personal perspective”.
Monday 3 March: AGM and the return of Simon Brewster, surgeon at the Churchill, to answer more questions from members.
Monday 14 April: Mark Lodge, Director, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, will talk about
“Men like us: Prostate Cancer in Developing Countries”.
Monday 2 June: Professor Eila Watson, Brookes University, will return to give an update on the research she is doing with PC patients.
Sunday 29 June: 2.30 p.m. - River cruise from Abingdon Bridge with jazz and cream tea.
Put the dates in your diary now!
An invitation to attend a meeting organised by Dr Martin Christlieb from the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford.
We will be holding the next in our series of cancer engagement events on Wed 4 Dec. The evening will discuss modern cancer imaging and we will hear what modern imaging is about and what's happening in Oxford. Two scientists have agreed to speak to us from the lab and from the clinic and they will help us understand why imaging is going to be a much bigger part of future treatments and trials. (The building is close to car park one at the Churchill, but not easy to find – if you do wish to attend, please telephone me for directions and I hope that it will also be sign-posted)
Phone: George 01235 763486 to get ‘booked-in’ please.
Odds and Ends
Leaflets. We have received a supply of new leaflets from’ Tackle Prostate Cancer’ entitled: ‘Having hormone treatment for your prostate cancer? Why bone health matters’. ‘ Advanced Prostate Cancer – A practical approach.’ ‘Need a holiday – Travel Insurance for men with prostate cancer’. These will be available at our next meetings but if you would like a copy by post, please let me know your address.
Supplies. Prostate Cancer UK is offering a pack of items to help men with incontinence following removal of a catheter. If you are , please phone their confidential helpline 0800 074 8383.
Best regards,
George Goldsmith
Hon. Secretary.
Website: opcsg.org Email: secopcsg@btinternet.com Phone: 01235 763486