Regular features

Letter from the Chair

Thank-you to all those who helped to raise money for Ovacome by buying our Christmas cards, and a special thanks also to those children (and adults!!) who contributed artwork. Apologies to those whose pictures we did not use but we hope that you will all send in your paintings and drawings for next year's cards. The Christmas cards were a great success, raising a substantial sum for the charity and launching us into the New Year.

1998 will see great changes in Ovacome as we take on our first paid employee (Alexandra Dargie) and take steps to give you a more professional service. The charity continues to grow apace and we hope you feel that you are being provided with good levels of support and information. Our members include ovarian cancer patients, their friends and families and healthcare professionals working in this field. At the end of 1997, we had over 1000 members on the database, and this number is growing at an increasing pace (380 people joined during the last six months of the year). Of those 500 members who have returned their Membership Details Form, approximately 20% were healthcare professionals, 55% were ovarian cancer patients and the rest were friends and family.

As we await Alexandra's return from honeymoon in India (after a beautiful wedding in December), the Christmas and New Year period has been rather quiet, but with her help and renewed energy, we intend to move on to many more challenges in 1998. We thank you for your continued support and hope to see you at the AGM in the summer (details to follow shortly).

Best wishes.
Caroline Elliott

Letter from the Editor

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity of introducing myself as the new Editor of the Ovacome newsletter. As you should all be aware, Kerry has handed over this responsibility to me as she is expecting her second child in April.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Kerry for all the hard work and enthusiasm that she has put into the newsletter and to say what a fantastic job she has done. It is a hard act to follow, but I will do my utmost to continue to provide what I think is a very informative and useful publication.

Secondly, I would like to thank all the contributors to this issue and to all who sent in their thoughts on the Winter newsletter: it really is encouraging to read these. Please continue to let me know your comments and if there is anything that you would like to see in future issues - your input is also of importance to us.

I apologise that a book review has not been completed for this issue and would like to know if any of our readers would be willing to undertake book reviews for us. If you are interested please contact me via the Ovacome number for more details.

On a separate issue I still have ribbons, collection boxes and posters available for you. If you feel your doctors' surgery or hospital will help with raising awareness and funds for the charity please contact me via the OVACOME address or send me an Email.
Debbie Howells

From our postbag

Look good ... feel better
I was very interested in the Look good . . . feel better information in the winter newsletter because on 24th November I attended one of their sessions at the Newcastle General Hospital. Nine other ladies were present, most of whom I had met during chemotherapy. We were shown how to cleanse and then make up our faces using various products that we were allowed to keep (most of which were very expensive brands). It was so nice to have a pleasant experience at the hospital and to be made a fuss of for the afternoon. I have always enjoyed applying my make-up because it does help you feel better, but it is now even more special because I am using such beautiful products. We had a lovely time and I would strongly recommend attending if you get the opportunity.
Margaret West
Hartlepool

Gynae Cancer Support in Birmingham
I work as a specialist nurse supporting women with gynae cancer. We are a gynaecological cancer specialist unit and our catchment area covers a large part of Area 11 on the Fone Friends map.

We provide surgery by surgeons accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons and also out-patient chemo which includes the opportunity for women with ovarian cancer to take part in clinical trials.

I provide emotional and practical support for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and have recently set up a gynae cancer support clinic at the City Hospital, Birmingham. It is held at the hospital every Tuesday and provides advice and counselling regarding specific aspects of life affecting women with ovarian and other gynaecological cancers. Topics covered include feelings related to loss of fertility, HRT, psychosexual counselling and in particular ovarian cancer screening for women who may be genetic at risk of developing the disease.
Jayne Taylor
Birmingham

Cystadenoma: can you help?
I have a borderline mucinous cystadenoma of the ovary, which I am told is unusual. I would love to know if there are any other members with the same diagnosis, and if so what treatments they have undergone, as I am told that chemotherapy does not touch it.
Elizabeth Harris
Dorset

HRT
I am aged 47 and have ovarian cancer (Stage 1C). I have been told that, because of the long-term risk of osteoporosis, I may take a form of HRT if I wish. This decision is a difficult one and I was therefore very interested to read the article covering HRT in the Autumn newsletter stating that it may actually help to prevent a recurrence. Despite writing to various organisations and reading books on HRT, I have not been able to find any reference to these studies.

I look forward to the release of Caroline's book but if, in the meantime, anyone within Ovacome has any information on these studies I would be very pleased to hear from them. This will help me make an informed decision when balancing the risks against the benefits of taking HRT.
Susan Harrison
Brentwood, Essex

Talcum powder
I was very interested in the article on the role of talcum powder in ovarian cancer, but felt very disappointed at the conclusion reached. If there is even a small chance that talc applied to the genital region could contribute to ovarian cancer then I feel it would not be too much to ask the manufacturers to print a warning on the packaging. I am a great advocate of the precautionary principle which states that the use of potentially dangerous materials should be limited or controlled even when scientific proof is not conclusive. Printing warnings allows a great deal more discussion and the TV programme allowed this issue to reach a wider audience. My mum died seven years ago from ovarian cancer, and we are still intrigued to learn why and how - probably not an unusual reaction?
Sarah Bruce
Edinburgh

With Complements - Diane

At the beginning of February the government announced a Green Paper on the state of the nation's health. Inevitably, cancer is a part of this discussion document. The effect of the environment and issues relating to nutrition and exercise are also to be included in the debate. It may be a long time in the future before there is widespread awareness that the lifestyle we adopt can have a long-term effect on our health, but it is heartening to hear on the news that many schools and some places of work are joining the battle to teach us that self-help can help to keep us fit and healthy well into old age.

Exercise
In the last two issues of the newsletter, we have looked at nutrition and supplements as two very fundamental ways of helping the healing process after treatment. However, good nutrition - whilst it may be considered the foundation of health and recovery - needs to be supported by exercise if the body's capacity for self-healing is to be maximised. Of course, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy take a heavy toll on the body and, when we are at our lowest, exercise is the last thing on our minds. However, it need not, and should not, be too strenuous. In fact, exercising too strenuously consistently can actually depress the immune system! And, no one would recommend a work-out at the gym in the early stagZes of recovery. So, where can we begin?

Well, how about walking? I am sure we can all remember the efforts of nursing staff to get us out of bed and mobile so soon after surgery and it certainly did help to get the bodily functions moving again despite the pain! In fact, walking, as well as being the simplest, is thought by many to be the healthiest form of physical activity to maintain the healing system in good order and presents little chance of injury. When we are feeling fitter, if we can get into the country, it also gives us a chance to appreciate nature and, in the company of good friends, further adds to our sense of well-being.

Gentle exercise, in any form, also has a proven physiological effect on the brain, encouraging it to release endorphins which can lift the spirit and neutralise stress. In this state, we are more likely to enjoy a good night's rest which can so often prove difficult to achieve when one is living under the dark cloud of severe illness.

As fitness improves, the pace of your gentle amble can quicken but do not over-exert yourself, particularly in the early stages of recovery. Be sensible and walking can become an excellent aerobic activity which can stimulate lymphatic drainage and the removal of toxins from the body. Blood relies on the heart for circulation but the lymph has no such pump and is dependent on bodily movement for its flow. Walking is perhaps the least demanding way of assisting this flow.

Yet another advantage of walking, not often recognised, lies in the action of the arms and legs, known as cross crawling. Aim to exaggerate the arm movements slightly so that the left arm moves forward in time with the right leg, and vice versa. This marching action has been shown to stimulate electrical activity in the brain creating a harmonising influence on the nervous system.

Add to all of this the fact that exercise, in general, increases the body's supply of oxygen, which stimulates the multiplication of healthy cells and suppresses the growth of cancer cells. So we really don't have much excuse for sitting around, do we? There is the memorable story of the man who was told his cancer was terminal. He refused to accept this diagnosis and tackled the cancer on all fronts with an absolute determination to survive, which indeed he did. Every day whilst in hospital, he would pace up and down the corridor covering three miles a day. He became the cancer ward's mascot and other patients would cheer him on his daily routine. He must have been an inspiration to the other patients.

Yoga and tai chi are also excellent ways of exercising and have the advantage of helping the participant achieve a state of deep meditative relaxation. Classes are available in most communities.

Skin Brushing
However, if you really don't feel up to taking even a gentle stroll, you might like to consider making skin brushing a regular part of your daily routine as it is a very effective way of stimulating the movement of toxins out of the body. Of course, if you have recently had surgery, avoid any tender areas. It has been said that five minutes energetic skin brushing improves muscle tone as much as 30 minutes jogging!

You need a long-handled, moderately stiff bath brush which you use dry. Begin at the foot and work up the leg using long, gentle, even strokes. When you have done both legs, move onto the arms, beginning at the fingers and working upwards to the shoulder in a single stroke. In the same way, next move down your back and then move onto your front, beginning at your shoulders and moving down towards your heart. Finally, move from your groin up towards your heart.

This process has the effect of stimulating lymphatic drainage and increasing the body's powers of healing. One of the first signs of illness can be swollen lymph nodes, particularly obvious in the neck and groin. This is an indicator that our immune system is busy fighting infection and working overtime to filter out and drain bacteria, viruses and other foreign material. A sluggish lymphatic system cannot adequately fulfil its immune function of carrying white cells - B and T cells - to where they are most needed to destroy disease and infection.

Water Treatment
This is another invigorating treatment and something we can all do to revitalise a sluggish circulatory system and so help to support the body's self-healing capacity. Showering in alternate hot and cold water will stimulate the blood and lymph circulation, helping to oxygenate the tissues and drain away toxins.

If the idea of subjecting yourself to extremes of temperatures seems daunting, begin by concentrating the flow of water from the shower head on those areas of the body most in need of healing. Alternatively, you can place your feet first in a bowl filled with water as hot as you can stand it and then in really cold water to which ice cubes have been added. When you have acclimatised yourself to either of these two methods of water treatment, steel yourself to stand under the shower, moving the temperature control first to as hot as you can safely bear, for 15 seconds, and then to cold for the same amount of time. Repeat this for at least 15 minutes - and scream! You will be filling your lungs to capacity and helping to move oxygen around the body. Well oxygenated cells are healthy cells.

Finally, remember that any activity, even if it is only consciously tensing and relaxing the muscles as you lie in bed, will help to keep blood and lymph moving.

Keep healthy!

Diane Chapman

The 'With Complements' booklet is now available. Follow the link to find out more.

Fone Friends

Over the months we have seen the number of Fone Friends rise and fall due to individual circumstances. When people undergo treatment or are just not feeling well enough to take calls, we very soon come to know how much we rely on their help and generosity in giving their precious time. So at this time - when I know certain Fone Friends are taking a break for these reasons - I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to them for their commitment and for being so "giving" to those who have needed their help.

Northern Ireland!
If you are reading this newsletter in Northern Ireland then please give Joan a call.

Scotland!
And for our members in Scotland who would like to talk to Ovacome more locally please call Mary.

Going Dutch!
Janet Ahler lives in Holland and would like regular contact with Ovacome members in the UK.

And finally!
If you have any snippets of information that we can include in the next update please send them to me via the Ovacome address in Slough. This can be found on the back page of the newsletter.

With best wishes,

Sharon Eastwood

Call us today on our special new number 07071 781 861 in the UK.

NOTE: For personal security reasons we cannot give out telephone numbers on the net. Call the main number and we will make sure that you get through the appropriate FoneFriend.

Alternatively Email the InternetFriends.

Poem

Solace

The veil of summer lifts and rests on open seas
And mists of autumn envelope valleys and the changing trees ~
But you are safe and sound at every dawn
Oblivious to the world and clamour of the storm.

Let me take you to my hidden valley by the sea
Where spring comes early and winter barely sighs ~
And you can rest in sunlight beneath tender leaves
And watch the seabirds wheel in pale blue skies.

Sleep soft within your lush green bower
Let anger dissipate and loosen from your mind ~
And the scent of earth and rain and bracken overcome you
Whilst the ropes about your arms loosen and unbind.

Come with me and rest on smooth, grey rocks to watch the changing sea,
The rugged cliffs and anxious trees blown against the hill ~
Watch waves and foam, and light and dark
Until the sun slips slowly out of sight and all is still.

Sleep safe and deeply in my hidden valley,
Cast aside your worries and your fears ~
Only know that you are safe, secure and well
And your eyes no longer full of tears.

Copyright Diana Tennyson (Sept 97)