Annual Autumn Event 2018

Well, what a great day we had on Saturday for our Annual Autum Event. A huge thank you to all of you that attended and made it such a great day. Our Chairman gave us an update on the last year's activities and plans for the coming year, which included a report from our Treasurer. This was followed by a talk from Maggie Crowe, a representative from Macmillan who outlined the way in which they support your local Trust in a large variety of ways; Siobhan Linsey, Outreach Librarian "Dr Google & Health Information on the internet" - a fascinating talk on how to use the internet safely. This was then followed by Dr Mike Galli on "The GP's Perspective" of a cancer diagnosis.
All three were really interesting talks and we thank them for giving their time and professional experience freely. A question and Answer session followed with questions on a variety of topics raised by the audience for the panel made up of the three speakers and professionals from your local Trust. 

Over a rather delicious lunch that was accompanied by wine, the raffle was drawn with prizes ranging from fine champagne, vouchers for Mole Valley Farmers, Pynes of Somerset (Butchers), and luxury foodstuffs to name but a few. Thank you particularly to Pynes of Somerset and Mole Valley Farmers for their contributions to the raffle prizes. We will update you on the final figures for the raffle and donations once received from our Treasurer.

Once again it was really lovely to see so many of you and hear how you are doing, thank you.
Plus a huge thank you to those of you who have volunteered to become members of the committee; it is not an onerous undertaking but a charity really needs a core of people to keep it going and for that reason we are delighted that a number of people have agreed to join us which means we can now plan ahead for the coming year with surety.

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and we just wanted to remind you. Why? Well, because awareness saves lives, as many of you will know. 
So if you have symptoms, see your GP, don't be shy or worried, just do it. 
If you are 55, you will at some point receive a charming invite to undergo a one off flexible sigmoidoscopy here in Somerset - do take up the offer; it could save your life.
Lastly, if you are over the age of sixty, and a "poo kit" lands on your door mat courtesy of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, please do it; it could save your life.

The message we aim to give is, don't sit on your butt, be proactive and actively try to save your own life. It has taken so long to get Bowel Cancer screening that it is such a shame so many people ignore it - and for many, that can be fatal. 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with cancer, try not to let that be you.


We have been researching how other countries raise awareness. We were really delighted to see that Australians have Red Apple Day - clearly, apples are big in relation to bowels! They have a great slogan "Preventable, Treatable, Beatable" which should become a mission statement for us too.


So firstly, please, please do the screening, and secondly, raise awareness. You can raise awareness in many ways, such as;




* Taking part in Stand Up To Cancer Events - the proceeds of which go to research in to Cancer.      Take a look at the link below to see how to get involved
https://www.standuptocancer.org.uk/




* If you have had Bowel Cancer, allay people's fears about tests and encourage them to just get it done

* Support us to support you - we are a small Bowel Cancer awareness group compared to our Australian cousins but no less passionate about raising awareness, treating Bowel Cancer and beating Bowel Cancer.




Be proactive - Get screened, get active, eat well, laugh, live. Many don't

Happy Christmas everybody

Well, as we come to the end of another busy year, we wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope you have a peaceful and joyful festive period with your families, friends  and loved ones. Enjoy those festive treats and laugh long and loud if you can, for as we all know too well, this is not a rehearsal and life is for living.

                                         MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄

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.