In December, Susan and Angela have been asked to present at the EuroPMP International Workshop on pseudomyxoma peritonei. It is a privilege to be asked to present to this network of experts from many fields, including surgeons, pathologists, oncologists, radiologists, molecular biologists, bioinformaticians and allied health care professionals of which Angela is a participant.
One of the connections we have made this year is with National Voices, the coalition of charities that stands for people being in control of their health and care. National Voice has drawn our attention to a new report published by Cancer Research UK, ‘Securing a cancer workforce for the best outcomes’.
One of the recommendations of the Charity Commission, the body that regulates charities in the UK, is that charities work with other charities. This is extremely important to the trustees of Pseudomyxoma Survivor and key to a lot of the things we do.
We got the day off to a great start at the Patients Wellbeing Day in Basingstoke by making a donation to the Peritoneal Malignancy Institute. This donation was made specifically with the help of the Leighton family and friends. Thank you!
The charity Findacure recently organised a Rare Disease Showcase in Cambridge, and I attended as a representative of Pseudomyxoma Survivor. My only slight problem was that my badge simply said ‘Pseudomyxoma Survivor’ so I had to keep explaining that I actually represented an organisation and wasn’t there as a lone survivor of a rare disease!
As patients, we want to be as best informed as possible. Here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes, from Rasmussen College
Pseudomyxoma Survivor is supporting Rare Disease UK’s Pledge for Patients in the run-up to the UK General Elections. Are you?
To attend a conference, where there were 600+ people who not only are aware of my disease but have dedicated their lives to researching and performing operations, through HIPEC, all to help in advancing the search for a cure, was a great honour.
Well a bit later than planned, damned house move, I can update you all on the Peritoneal Tumour Service Patient day at the Christie hospital on September 21st, 2016. The event was really well attended, I’m constantly amazed that this community is much larger than I have ever realised and yet again I was able to meet some amazing people.
Serendipity! I love that word, it’s my favourite word, so if we are ever on Mr and Mrs together, you know my answer. It means “the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way”. A chance meeting, orchestrated by a very special lady in Norfolk, has brought our two charities together.
I don’t know what has come over me recently but I am just starting to raise my head above the parapet. Which, considering I was first diagnosed in 2003, does make you wonder what I’ve been doing in between my 6 operations (MOAS in 2009), 3 rounds of chemo, radiotherapy, rounds of IVF and — oh, yes — that ‘miracle baby’ who is now 6 years old and in full teenage strop mode.
Did you know that the percentage of patients diagnosed with a rarer or less common cancer in the UK is now 53%? No, I didn’t either until I went to the latest Cancer 52 meeting at the House of Lords.