• 10:30am-10.50am – Arrivals, registration, and refreshments

• 10:50am-11:00am – Welcome and housekeeping from Ovacome

• 11:00am-11.45am – Dr Ian Harley, Q&A session

• 11.45am-12.00pm – Refreshment break

• 12.00pm-12:45pm – Elish McColgan and Adrina O’Donnell, ‘Meet the Gynaecological Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist team from Belfast Health and Social Care Trust’

• 12:45pm-1:45pm – Lunch

• 1:45pm-2:00pm – About Ovacome

• 2:00pm-2:30pm – Dr Sharon O’Toole, ‘About OvaCare ovarian cancer charity’

• 2:30pm-2:40pm – Dr Sarah Nally, ‘More than a diagnosis: Building community through shared experience’

• 2:40pm-2:50pm – Refreshment break 

• 2:50pm-3:50pm – Siobhan Casey, ‘Scar Therapy’

• 3.50pm-4.00pm - Goodbyes

• Dr Ian Harley is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Gynaecological Oncologist at the Northern Ireland Regional Cancer Centre, Belfast City Hospital. His interests include Minimal Access Surgery in Gynaecology and Oncology, Hereditary Gynaecological Cancers and Translational Research in Ovarian Cancer. He has many journal publications and presents at regional, national and international meetings.

• Adrina O’Donnell is a Macmillan Gynaecological Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) specialising in ovarian cancer. She is based at the Northern Ireland Regional Cancer Centre, Belfast City Hospital. Her background is in gynaecological oncology and research and spans almost 30 years. She has delivered teaching at Queen’s University Belfast and is the co-author (with QUB) of ‘Being an effective Clinical Nurse Specialist in Cancer Care: Insights from Clinical Nurse Specialist’, a book published in 2023, which also has an associated podcast.

• Elish McColgan is as a Macmillan Gynaecological Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist at Belfast City Hospital. She has been working at the hospital since 1990, making her the longest-serving member of staff in the team, with a wealth of experience. She works alongside the team of gynaecological oncology surgeons and supporting women through Northern Ireland who have ovarian and other gynaecological cancers.

• Dr Sharon O’Toole is a Senior Research Fellow Scientist in Trinity College Dublin, working in the area of ovarian cancer. She has gained enormous experience in the area of ovarian cancer and has played a major role in the development of studies in gynaecological cancer. She was instrumental in establishing INNOVATION- the Irish National Network for Ovarian Cancer Collaboration which has brought together the medical, research and charity organisations involved in ovarian cancer in Ireland. She was part of the organising committee of the first World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8th in 2013 and this has now become a very successful annual event. She was invited by the founders of OvaCare to establish and chair a medical panel for the charity which will ensure that it is kept up to date with the latest developments and to advise on issues relating to ovarian cancer.

• Siobhán Casey is a practitioner of Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy and a Lymphoedema Therapist. Since beginning her career as a Lymphoedema Therapist in 2009, Siobhan has identified a significant need for specialised scar therapy for patients recovering from surgery, radiation, ports, and drain tubes, which often cause chronic pain and restriction not only at the site of the scar but also in the surrounding areas. She has pursued post-graduate education focusing on scars, with a commitment to educating and empowering patients to enhance their health and well-being.

• Dr Sarah Nally is a women’s health advocate and researcher who was diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian cancer at the age of 26. She combines her personal experience with academic research to raise awareness and improve understanding of ovarian cancer, menopause, and broader public health issues.

We are really looking forward to welcoming you. Please register using the button at the top of this page and you will receive further information by email closer to the date. 

Once you have registered, if you can no longer attend this event please do let us know so we can offer your space to others who would like to attend.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact ovacome@ovacome.org.uk or call 020 7299 6654. 

The venue address is Europa Hotel, Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7AP.

The venue is a 5 minute walk from Belfast Grand Central station.

The venue does not have parking, but there are a number of car parks nearby.

If you require support to attend one of our in-person events, please let us know when you sign up. We always ensure the venues we use are accessible for anyone with disabilities.

Some examples of support we can give include:

• Translators including BSL. We usually require around three weeks advanced notice to allow for booking.
• Receiving slides or information ahead of the session
• Reserve a seat close to the speakers
• Travel assistance - we can help you with planning your travel to our event, and where possible arrange for a member of the team to accompany you on your journey to the event if you need assistance.
• Financial assistance – we want to ensure that Ovacome members can access the events they want to without worrying about the associated costs. For example, we can help cover the price of transport to attend an in-person event and contribute to accommodation expenses if staying away from home to join an Ovacome event. You may feel tired after attending an event.  we can arrange accommodation in advance for you so that you can rest before travelling home. Friends and family are included if they are accompanying a person with an ovarian diagnosis to our events, or if they have access needs themselves.