Oxfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group
Newsletter 26th February 2015
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015
The Annual General Meeting of
The Oxfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group
will be held on Monday 9th March 2015, 6.30pm for 7.00pm prompt.
At The Oxford Golf Club, Hill Top Road, Oxford OX4 1PF
Followed by talks by Richard Bryant, CRUK Surgical Oncology Fellow, Oxford Cancer Research Centre, Clinical Lecturer in Urology, entitled “Research combining minimally invasive surgery and radiotherapy to improve outcomes for advanced prostate cancer”, and Simon Brewster, consultant surgeon at the Churchill Hospital, who will also answer questions.
We very much hope that one or two members will be able to put themselves forward for election to the Committee, to strengthen and encourage the work of the existing Committee members. Talk to us about it.
COLLECTION AND AWARENESS RAISING AT OXFORD UNITED, 14 MARCH – VOLUNTEERS PLEASE!
Once again we shall be collaborating with PCUK, the leading national prostate cancer charity, in raising funds and talking to men about prostate cancer at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday 14 March when Oxford United play Plymouth. We need volunteers to hold buckets, spread the word and give out leaflets. Please volunteer – you will even get a free ticket to the match! You will need to be at the stadium by 1.00 p.m.
Please give me your name if you can help on the day – contact details at the end of this Newsletter.
INVITATION TO CANCER RESEARCH UK OPEN EVENING 11 MARCH
The fourth Cancer Research UK Open Evening will be held at the Richard Doll Building at the cancer centre on the Churchill Hospital campus from 18.30 to 21.00 on Wednesday 11 March. It promises to be just as interesting as their previous events. This is a great opportunity to find out more about research that is happening in our area, and to meet the scientists and nurses who are crucial to the cancer journey in Oxford. You can sign up for free tickets here:
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cancer-research-uk-oxford-centre-open-evening-tickets-15436826965
CAN YOU HELP ‘TACKLE’, THE PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT FEDERATION?
http://www.tackleprostate.org/
OPCSG is affiliated to Tackle, and they have asked if our members can help in the following areas:
- The proposed withdrawal of Cabazitaxel by the Cancer Drugs Fund on 12 March. This is a successful last chance drug for advanced prostate cancer patients who have exhausted all of the current advanced treatment options including Abiraterone and Enzalutamide. This is a real body blow to those patients who will need this treatment and have nowhere else to turn. Tackle is urging all of our members to contact their MPs at their Surgeries and confront them face to face on the implications of withdrawing Cabazitaxel. Also, if you have not done so, please sign the online petition:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keepyourpromise?bucket=&source=twitter-share-button
- If you are on Enzalutamide, or if you know someone who is, you could help by sharing your experience and opinions with Keith Cass, who is researching the issue for Tackle. Keith would like to speak to you on the phone. If you can help please email Keith at keithcass@theredsock.co.uk.
- Tackle have launched some new postcards for gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer in conjunction with The Lesbian & Gay Foundation. Please click on the link for more information.
http://www.lgf.org.uk/news-articles/new-prostate-cancer-postcards-for-gay-amp-bisexual-men/
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2015
Group meetings 2015 - venue (except for river cruise and skittles): The Oxford Golf Club, Hill Top Road, Oxford, OX4 1PF
Monday 9 March – AGM with Simon Brewster; Monday 20 April – Professor Eila Watson, Brookes University; Monday 15 June tba; Sunday 28 June - river cruise; Monday 14 September tba; Monday 19 October Ken Fitt: ‘The growth of popular music in the twentieth century’; Saturday 5 December - skittles evening, provisional.
Details of each meeting will be published in following Newsletters and on the website at www.opcsg.org/homepage - do keep looking there.
If you know someone who would like to make a donation direct to OPCSG funds please go to https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/oxfordshireprostatecancersupportgroup. OPCSG can benefit from the additional 25% Gift Aid element from donations made by taxpayers via My Donate.
If you no longer wish to receive this Newsletter please let me know on john@grundybell.demon.co.uk or 01865 730110.
John Grundy
Vice Chairman, OPCSG