Members' Day 2007
On Saturday 19th May, around 80 members met at the Thistle Euston Hotel in London from our Members' Weekend. After welcoming everyone our Chair, Noeline Young, introduced the first speaker Jo Morrison, Specialist Registrar in Gynae Oncology at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Jo spoke about current developments in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Anne-Marie Swart from the Medical Research Council's Trials Trust followed with an overview of current clinical trials, giving us an insight into how long these are developed, how long they take and why.
We then heard from Annie Gilbert, an independent researcher. Annie spoke about the results (so far) of the Ovacome Survey many members too part in. The study is of service care, treatment and choice amongst women living with ovarian cancer. The data collected is still being collated however the early results have been presented at conferences in poster format. It is hoped that the full results of the study will be accepted for publication.
Morning presentations concluded with Yvonne tapper, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gynae Oncology at University College Hospital London, who spoke about how and why Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) were set up. Yvonne gave us some valuable background information on the Cancer Plan (2000) and the impact that this has had on cancer services.
After lunch came the highlight of the day. Dr Annie Smith, breast and ovarian cancer sufferer, gave us - as one member put it - a "wonderful, warm, witty and inspiring" presentation. Annie's talk was based on her book Bearing Up With Cancer: Life and Living With... (available from amazon.co.uk and bookshops). For those who were not privileged to hear Annie, she has kindly agreed to allow us to publish an extract of her book in the Autumn/Winter 2007 newsletter.
The afternoon continued with two workshops looking at the psychological impact of cancer and coping strategies. Annie was a difficult act to follow for Dr Dominic Bray, Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist and Dr Alison Farmer, lecturer in Psycho-Oncology at the University of Southampton.
Dominic brought many props (including mini golf) to help us understand his message about using coping strategies from our past experiences to help us move forward. Alison's workshop was entitled 'Sharing Experiences' and we are grateful to her for sharing her own experiences of cancer with us and giving us some hints and tips on coping with diagnosis. We look forward to hearing from her again in a future newsletter.
The day ended with the Ovacome AGM. Minutes from this and a copy on the annual report are available on request from the office.
Members interested in becoming Regional Ovacome Co-ordinators (ROCs) stayed on for Sunday to take part in a Macmillan Cancer Voices training day. Training allows participants to use their own experience of cancer to improve cancer care and promote the needs of ovarian cancer patients and Ovacome. Once voiced, this experience can work with others' and become extremely powerful.
It is amazing how much more can be done if you are working together, rather than trying to make a difference on your own.
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Anne-Marie Swart from the Medical Research Council's Trials Trust followed with an overview of current clinical trials, giving us an insight into how long these are developed, how long they take and why.
We then heard from Annie Gilbert, an independent researcher. Annie spoke about the results (so far) of the Ovacome Survey many members too part in. The study is of service care, treatment and choice amongst women living with ovarian cancer. The data collected is still being collated however the early results have been presented at conferences in poster format. It is hoped that the full results of the study will be accepted for publication.
Morning presentations concluded with Yvonne tapper, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gynae Oncology at University College Hospital London, who spoke about how and why Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) were set up. Yvonne gave us some valuable background information on the Cancer Plan (2000) and the impact that this has had on cancer services.
After lunch came the highlight of the day. Dr Annie Smith, breast and ovarian cancer sufferer, gave us - as one member put it - a "wonderful, warm, witty and inspiring" presentation. Annie's talk was based on her book Bearing Up With Cancer: Life and Living With... (available from amazon.co.uk and bookshops). For those who were not privileged to hear Annie, she has kindly agreed to allow us to publish an extract of her book in the Autumn/Winter 2007 newsletter.
The afternoon continued with two workshops looking at the psychological impact of cancer and coping strategies. Annie was a difficult act to follow for Dr Dominic Bray, Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist and Dr Alison Farmer, lecturer in Psycho-Oncology at the University of Southampton.
Dominic brought many props (including mini golf) to help us understand his message about using coping strategies from our past experiences to help us move forward. Alison's workshop was entitled 'Sharing Experiences' and we are grateful to her for sharing her own experiences of cancer with us and giving us some hints and tips on coping with diagnosis. We look forward to hearing from her again in a future newsletter.
The day ended with the Ovacome AGM. Minutes from this and a copy on the annual report are available on request from the office.
Members interested in becoming Regional Ovacome Co-ordinators (ROCs) stayed on for Sunday to take part in a Macmillan Cancer Voices training day. Training allows participants to use their own experience of cancer to improve cancer care and promote the needs of ovarian cancer patients and Ovacome. Once voiced, this experience can work with others' and become extremely powerful.
It is amazing how much more can be done if you are working together, rather than trying to make a difference on your own.
Feedback
“I left really energised and inspired"
"Great as always"
"Useful information and great to meet people"
"Liked the fact that carers were catered for this year"
"One of the best"
And new member Mara Harwood kindly rang the office afterwards to say how much she and her husband enjoyed the event. She particularly enjoyed Annie Smith's talk and Mara's husband enjoyed the whole day. He was thinking of not coming along but was really glad he did as he met a few fellow husbands.
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