Charity presentation...

Today, committee members of Somerset Bowel Cancer Support Group Charity,  presented a cheque to members of the Colorectal Cancer Team at Musgrove Park Hospital for £16,750. The monies have funded  an air seal machine, as seen in the picture, that allows complex rectal surgery to be undertaken at the Trust - a procedure that had not previously been available locally. The group has also funded two surgeons from the Colorectal Cancer Team, who specialise  in rectal surgery, to attend training in the procedure.

This picture shows, from left to right,  Maria Salter, Colorectal Nurse Specialist & committee member, Lorraine Cooke & John Fielding, committee members of our group presenting the cheque to Mr Eyre Brook, Senior Colorectal Surgeon, Mr Vickery, Colorectal Surgeon, former Chairmen and one of the founding members of the group, plus Lead Colorectal Specialist Nurse, committee member and founding member of the group, Nicky Forsyth.

It was a pleasure to be able to present such a generous cheque to the department that allowed for purchase of this impressive piece of equipment for the benefit of Colorectal patients. This has only been possible through the generous donations made by you, our members and supporters, for which we thank you.

We will soon be letting you know about our next target for the groups fundraising efforts, so do come back for updates.

Thank you

Well, what a great day was had yesterday at our AGM and Annual Autumn Event, more importantly what a good crowd. Nigh on 140 people attended to hear Mr Paul Mackey, Chairman of the SBCSG, give an overview of the works of the group over the last year and updated attendees on where their monies from donations and fundraising efforts have been spent, including leading technology for surgery such as the air seal machine for complex rectal surgery, training for surgeons to undertake new procedures and technology for the specialist nurses to utilise, as well as funding today's event. This was followed by excellent talks by Dr Daniel Pearl on being a Bowel Cancer Screening Endoscopist and what they do, as well as Dr Vikki Morris on Ageing and the secrets of longevity. Two fantastic speakers who certainly gave us food for thought and went down well with attendees. A lively question and answer session for the surgeon, gastroenterologist, geriatrician and specialist nurses was undertaken before lunch was partaken, and the raffle was drawn with many members of the audience carrying off their spoils at the end of the day.

What an enjoyable day it was and once again so lovely to see so many of you at the event. Our plea for assistance on the committee did not fall on deaf ears with a number of people coming forward either as members or to attend the next meeting to see what it is all about. Any charity needs a number of reliable willing hands to assist in maintaining its day to day running, not least this one, so we are very grateful for those people who came forward. We are also grateful for those people who have skills that they wish to offer as a one off to help the group or even people who are just happy to run errands of fill envelopes. New ideas for the group are also helpful and all suggestions will be considered.

As always we are grateful to those of you who donate in the various guises to support our cause, your fundraising and donations is what makes this possible, however big or small. If you have an idea for fundraising and wish to promote it, please let us know and we will blog about it. 

Once again, thank you for your continued support.

Autumn Event 2017

It is with great delight that we inform you that the annual Autumn Event will be held on Saturday 21st October 2017 at the Somerset County Cricket Club. We will update you with further details nearer the time but look forward to seeing you on the day where we will updating you on the charities activities and plans. We do so hope you can come and join us on the day and look forward to catching up with you all.

We are also delighted to see that our very own local hospital has done exceptionally well in the National Cancer Patient Survey, being ranked number four in the country with our very own Colorectal Team being the best in the South West. This is extremely well done, ranking high up along with some of the best cancer centres in the country. Well done team.

Festive season

It has been a while since we last blogged and for that we apologise. As for many of you, it has been a tough year but we are plodding on. The charity has lost a number of stalwart members of the group/ committee however we are lucky that a few remain. The clinical team who help to support the group have been snowed under for the latter part of the year which has contributed to the lack of noticeable activity.

The festive season is a time to reflect, pause if you like, and look back over the last year. Many of you are celebrating another year of survivorship, some remembering loved ones, and others continuing  that well trodden path of treatment that literally millions have trodden before you. Cancer is a difficult disease that causes all sorts of changes to a life that will never be the same again. Some of these changes are difficult but for many it is the chance to look at life afresh. Over the last year we have spoken to,and supported, many, many people diagnosed or affected by bowel cancer. It is a disease that crosses all boundaries; gender, age, race or creed, rich or poor - we hope we can support you all. In turn we hope that you will all continue to support us in raising the profile of bowel cancer locally, attending the two key events we hold each year to support you and, importantly, supporting our local clinical teams to support us all. 

On a more joyful note, remember to eat your greens, take plenty of fluids (the non alcoholic kind) and to get out and about for some brisk walks over the festive season - rich food can play havoc with those bowels!

May we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you over the coming year.

🎃 👻 Happy Halloween

 Now, you may be wondering why on earth we would be posting at Halloween but actually there is a good reason. It's pumpkin season and pumpkins are a wonderful food particularly for the bowel. So when you have finished carving all of those pumpkins 🎃, a really good way to use up the flesh is to eat it (we mean the flesh of the pumpkin only, I know it is Halloween and all that but.... ). Pumpkin is a really good addition to soups, stews, pies and risotto, as well as the all American pumpkin pie 🎃.

If you like to try new things in your vegetable repatoire, 🍠 Sweet potato is also worth a try and a good source of  vitamins and nutrients. Plus, pumpkin and sweet potato soup is really delicious and what a glorious colour.

Apple season is here too; the good old apple is another really good source of fibre, amongst its many attributes. So after you have finished your apple bobbing or toffee apple (mind those teeth) don't forget that a good old apple 🍎 really does help keep the doctor away (or at least the bowel team anyway). 

Happy Halloween

Event Update

We are really sorry to have to announce that due to a number of problems with dates and speakers we have made the momentous decision to cancel the Autumn Event. We have done this because we could not achieve a suitable quality of speaker due to various problems with dates and availability. This is the first time since the group started but we do not wish to give you a substandard event therefore have made this decision; it is one that has not been taken lightly.

We will keep you up to date with the events programme and hope that you will all bear with us as we move forward. We fully intend to continue the work you, and we, do collectively to keep the group going but cannot compromise on standards. Please watch this space for further announcements.

Save the date!

Our annual Autumn Event is scheduled for Saturday 15th October 2016, so please save the date. Once again we have some exciting speakers for your delectation and are looking forward to seeing you for a catch up. As always, members of our professional team from Musgrove Park will be there on the day. A highlight of the year for our local professionals, to see so many of you, ambassadors for what they do every day. There is no greater joy than seeing so many of you fit and well. 

On a more serious note, the committee, who comprise professionals and patients, are desperately in need of your help. Committee members are now at an all time low and, if new members do not come forward, the future of the group is in jeopardy. We will be discussing this more at the Autumn Event and we hope that some of you may consider stepping up to the mark to help us; we do hope so. 

If you would like to join us, please let us know for catering and number purposes on:
Tel: 01823 352452