The Amazon Breast Support Group

Hi Everyone, “Happy New Year and WELCOME” to our 2015 edition of The Amazon Newsletter. As a group we have had another busy year supporting patients, fund-raising, net-working and raising awareness with other groups, agencies and the general public. In November we attended an event organised by the Greater Nottingham Cancer Forum where I was able to talk to other cancer and support groups about the Amazons and share ideas as well as listening to presentations by two well-known

speakers on current commissioning initiatives taking place across the Notts. Health Community. Pictured right at the event, are, from the left, Sarah Cadwallader, Kirstie Mallalieu, and myself talking to Nettie Johnson (Carer Federation).

We have also attended events instigated by Ashfield Voluntary Action, Mid Notts. Cancer Carer Forum and, of course, participated in our own “breast awareness” events.

I would like to thank all our fund-raising supporters, some of whom are not specifically named in the Newsletter, for their magnificent efforts and generosity. I want to make a special mention of Simon Bingham of Caunton Engineering for again “pushing the barriers”, (and pedals!) for the Amazons. We are so grateful on behalf of breast cancer patients at King’s Mill. May I make an appeal to anyone who is interested in fund-raising for the Amazons to please become involved as it is only by your generous efforts that we can provide help at a local level with patients’ treatment and care pathways.

I would like to welcome Yvonne Lisseman-Stones, new Specialist Breast Care Nurse (pictured right), onto the Amazon Committee. I know she will be a great asset to our group. We have 3 Specialist Nurses supporting and working with us. They attend Committee Meetings and one always attends our monthly Open Meetings - all in their own time. The Nurses’ and Mr. Jahan’s expertise and guidance on patient needs is invaluable to the Charity’s effectiveness. Sometimes our purchases are large, sometimes small but we try to have funds ready to meet any need.

A VERY BIG THANK YOU to all our supporters, past, present and future and to our brilliant team of professionals at the King’s Mill Breast Care Unit.

Bless you all, Beryl Perrin (Chairperson).

Pictured, in the Breast Screening Ultra Sound Department, are, left to right, Amazons Keith, Janet, Ann and Geoff, Samantha Knighton, the Senior Radiographer and Amazon Chairperson Beryl.

King’s Mill’s Welcome Treatment Centre and their Breast Screening Ultra Sound Department have taken delivery of new equipment donated by the Amazon Breast Cancer Support Group, purchased with locally-raised funds for the benefit of local patients.

The Welcome Treatment Centre, which provides oncology services for cancer out-patients, requested ten drip stands and ten assorted work trolleys which the Amazon Charity were able to fund for £5,435. This money, raised by local people, will now benefit everyone using the Treatment Centre, not breast cancer patients alone. The Ultra Sound Department in the Breast Screening Unit took delivery of another work trolley at a cost of £334 and the Specialist Breast Care Nurses received a book to enhance their services at a cost of £117. A big Thank-you” to all the local fund-raisers and their supporters who made these purchases possible and to the wonderful staff in both departments.

Pictured left, in The Welcome Treatment Centre are, from left to right, Amazons Keith and Beryl, Welcome Treatment Centre Nurse Laura Berry and Lead Nurse Suzanne Corney and Amazons Ann, Janet, Angie and the Charity’s secretary Geoff who has the job of ordering it all!

Simon Bingham (pictured seated second left) put himself in the top 1% of charity fund-raisers on the “Just Giving” web-site when he completed “The Raid Pyrenean” cycle ride for the Amazons Charity! He has previously completed a sponsored New York marathon and cycled part of the Tour de France route to raise funds to help breast cancer patients at King’s Mill, but this time he cycled across France, hugging the border with Spain, over the Pyrenees, from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean coast. It was a 720km ride, ascending 11,000 vertical metres and had to be completed in 100 hours! A comparison would be, in the 4 days allowed, to cycle up Ben Nevis over 8 times and on some days this would mean up Ben Nevis TWICE. He was burning up to 800 calories an hour and taking-on food and water was a problem, along with the adverse weather conditions. He was given a medal (pictured left), but the Amazons think it should have been at least as big as a dustbin lid. He donated £7,421 to the Charity and told us all about it at an Amazon Open Meeting, where he is pictured sitting next to his Dad, with his Mum third left at the back. He stood up mostly, to talk - we weren’t surprised!

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Throughout 2014 Julie Marriott has continued her weekly Friday evening Bingo-with-raffle sessions at the Huthwaite Leisure Centre and, plus her other activities, she has raised over £2,000 this year for the benefit of local breast cancer patients at King’s Mill! Picture 1 shows Jan, Laura, Julie, Beryl and Shelley in the rain at “Julie’s Birthday Bash” at Huthwaite Market Social Club. That “rainy day” poured £600 into Amazon funds! Picture 2 shows Yvonne (Specialist Breast Care Meeting. Julie continued her fund-raising on her holidays and picture 3 shows The Cambria Hotel, Paignton, from where the proceeds of Julie’s raffles, “swear-box” and generous donations from the hotel’s proprietors, swelled the Charity’s funds. Picture 4 shows Hilda Ward, Bradley Mc Knight and Julie at Huthwaite Leisure Centre’s Christmas Fayre where Julie had a tombola stall fund-raiser. At the same venue, Julie held her Bingo Christmas Party.Picture 5, shows Angie, John, Beryl (with cheque and Xmas jumper!), Julie, Hilda and Joyce.

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The Amazons say a big “thank-you” to Julie and everyone who has helped her with this wonderful fund-raising!

King’s Mill’s Specialist Breast Care Nurse Ailsa Rodgers completed a Sponsored 10K Fun Run at Blackpool for The Amazons and inspired some friends to make their own contributions to her fund-raising. Ailsa donated £920 to the Charity and is pictured seated, 4th left, presenting the cheque at an Amazon Open Meeting. “Thank-you” Ailsa and Friends!

Pictured here at Sutton’s Hosiery Mills Social Club, at the Amazon’s Fashion Show (organised by Liz Hunter and aided by Sandra Ballard ) are, from the left, Cath (Complete Clothing Company) and volunteer models Denise, Carolyn, Carolynn, Scarlet, Melanie, Sandra and Donna. Our “retail therapy” supporters became fashion icons for bargain prices and raised £519!

Pictured here, at Edwinstowe’s South Forest Leisure Complex, are the duo “Spirit” who performed brilliant 50’s and 60’s music free of charge, raising over £1,000 for the benefit of breast cancer patients at King’s Mill. The event was organised by Amazons Janet and Geoff Stafford. In the 60’s the duo, Steve Smith and Bob Lee, appearing as “The Cheaters”, had backed groups including Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Ivy League and The Batchelors

"Thank you” to the fund-raisers who have supported The Amazon Breast Support Charity and to the people who have made personal, group and family donations to help local breast cancer patients at King’s Mill Hospital. Also an especially big “thank you” to our >wonderful Professional Breast Care Team at King’s Mill.