Oxfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group
Newsletter December 2018
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE, BY DAVE RILEY
At the funeral of Dave Riley, known to many of us as a long-standing member and supporter of OPCSG, this poem was read out. I’m sure Dave would want to share it with all of you.
If you have a tender message,
Or a loving word to say,
Do not wait till you forget it
But whisper it today,
The tender word unspoken,
The letter never sent,
The long forgotten messages,
The wealth of love unspent –
For these some hearts are breaking,
For these some loved ones wait,
So show them that you care for them
Before it is too late.
RIP
SKITTLES EVENING SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER - RESULTS
There was another packed house at The Ferryman, Bablock Hythe, for the annual OPCSG skittles evening on 8 December. From a very competitive evening, Martin Bate emerged as the winner of the straight skittles competition, while the honours for the ‘killer’ knock-out rounds went to Vice Chairman Steve Tuck. Both are seen here collecting their prizes from Chairman John Grundy. Over drinks and pub meals members socialised, welcomed new faces, exchanged case notes and enjoyed each other’s company. Many thanks to chief organisers Dave and Jean Hawes.
OXFORD BUS COMPANY – A BUS FOR OPCSG
Sightings of the big white bus have been coming in thick and fast. It’s been seen, among other places, in Kidlington, Abingdon, Redbridge Park and Ride, Oxford High Street, St. Clements, and at the JR. Please keep telling your friends and using it as a starting point for conversations about men’s health, and the need to get checked.
STEPHEN FRY’S RADIO APPEAL
Message from Tackle Prostate Cancer to whom we are affiliated: “On Sunday 16th December at 07.55 - repeated on Thursday 20th December at 15.27 - please tune in to BBC Radio 4 to hear the Stephen Fry and Martin Dallison appeal asking for more research into advanced prostate cancer. This is being organised by the Prostate Cancer Research Centre, with whom Tackle will be working more closely going forward.” See also attached flyer.
RUUD BAANDERS - ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE
Ruud Baanders, a member of OPCSG, has sent this message:
”I am currently in the Active Surveillance program for my low risk prostate cancer. Last month I attended the ‘Deferred active treatment’ consensus meeting at the European Multidisciplinary Congress on Urological Cancers (EMUC) on 9th November 2018 in Amsterdam. This was the closure of a project for developing guidelines for Active Surveillance that I joined a few months ago as patient representative.
The above mentioned consensus meeting was a multidisciplinary group (urologists, pathologists, radiologist etc) of about 40 people, including three patients, from different treatment centres. The outcome of this meeting will be published next year and the guidelines will become a strongly recommended international practice for Active Surveillance.” Ruud would like to share the knowledge that he gained at this conference with OPCSG members who are on Active Surveillance. If you are interested, please contact me and I will put you in touch with Ruud.
CHRISTMAS DONATIONS
If you, your family or friends would like to make a Christmas donation to OPCSG, the easiest way to do so is via our MyDonate page: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/oxfordshireprostatecancersupportgroup. If you are a tax payer you can add Gift Aid. Happy Christmas!
OPCSG IN 2019 – DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The following dates have been fixed for meetings and events in 2019. It is possible that the April and June topics maybe swapped, but the dates will remain the same.
Group meetings at Oxford Golf Club in 2019, Mondays at 6.30 for 7.00 p.m.:
21 January – Erectile dysfunction specialist nurse Koran Gray will talk about the work of her ED clinic, and Naomi Ekers, Macmillan/Churchill nurse, about physio and OT for metastatic patients.
4 March – AGM, with Simon Brewster and Dr Richard Bryant, “The use of MRI prior to diagnostic biopsy and during prostate cancer active surveillance.”
15 April - Partners’ forum led by Committee member Caroline Prance, psychiatric nurse
10 June – Timon Colegrove on his experience of proton beam therapy
9 September – Mr William French, retired butler to HM The Queen, on his working life as butler to the Royal Family and other distinguished people
14 October - tba
River cruise: Sunday 23 June Skittles: Saturday 14 December
no longer wish to receive this Newsletter please let me know on johngrundy191@gmail.com or 01865 730110. For news updates keep an eye on our website at www.opcsg.org.
John Grundy Chairman, OPCSG