Hastings and Bexhill Area Breast Cancer Support Group
Meeting Feedback
This feedback will help members unable to attend a
meeting keep up with what's been
happening, and give non-members an idea of what we
do at our meetings.
October 2019
Nothing major to report back just snippets this month:
Helen was eager to tell us about her trip to The Show,
the fashion show organised by Breast Cancer Care each year,
and what a fabulous time she and her sister had at the event.
We reminded members that if they were going to The
Conquest for treatment then they were able to get a free car
park pass.
We discussed having sessions on mindfulness and
meditation next year.
Our Tesco fundraising date for this year is15
th
December.
The Pelham had restructured their Hire Agreement, Pat
read out the relevant details for all members present.
Food for our December “Christmas” meeting was
discussed and celebrating our 40
th
anniversary in May next
year.
Pam, Pat and Gloria attended the Civic Service for Kathy
Harmer (Bexhill Mayor) who is one of the group’s greatest
supporters and fundraisers during her reign of office.
November 2019
The last of our 4 lymphoedema sessions with Lymphoedema
specialist Jane and Julia, who were very keen to hear honest
feedback, especially on how they could imporve things.
Constructive opinions were given and we all agreed that we
had gained a lot of very useful information particularly in the
correct techniques in massage. It was suggested by the
group that perhaps 6 monthly refresher sessions cold be
given, possibly on another evening other than our usual
meeting date. Pat will speak to Ollie re the availability of the
room.
Gloria thanked everyone for their donations and gift bags for
our tombola stall early December and also asked for requests
of help on the day.
December 2019
We welcomed 2 new members to our group amid the chaos
of our usual disorganised party games and delicious food. A
great evening, in addition Sally Cowlard’s group, who kindly
pay for any flowers that we might send to members, also
gave us a cheque for £200 and our Tesco collection on 15
th
raised £460.66!
January 2020
A well-attended meeting for this time of the year, we
welcomed a new member who had travelled all the way from
Rye, she was going through a really emotional tough time and
hopefully found being able to confide in the group a comfort.
Pam was keen to keep numbers up at Powder Mills Natural
Rhythms sessions on Wednesday mornings – a very calming
few hours, set in the lovely Powder Mill Woods
February 2020
Lovely to welcome back a long standing member who hadn’t
been to a meeting for over 6 years, but has continually
supported us since her diagnosis 13 years ago, she came
along with her sister who is planning a 30 mile run in the
summer to raise money for us – we are so lucky to have
supporters like this, it’s amazing, people are very kind.
Pam reported that she had written to our local Oncologist
inviting him to speak at one of our sessions. When Pam was
in post she found it an invaluable insight as to how we feel
and are affected by our diagnosis.
We also touched on our 40 year anniversary in May and the
fact that we would be doing something that month to
celebrate.
March 2020
With the worry of Coronavirus being reported on the news, it
was a surprise to see how many attended. We had a visit
from Rebecca, who is in the last part of her PHD on the
effects of heat in exercise on breast cancer patients. She
spoke passionately about her theories and promised she
would give us a chance to read her final paper as so many of
our members had taken part in her trials, but the end of the
meeting she had 4 new candidates. Well done girls.
At the end of the meeting we weren’t sure when we’d be able
to physically meet again but promised to try and keep in
touch with all our members.
April 2020
With no physical meeting this month and for the foreseeable
future, we have been trying to keep in contact with everyone.
Our group although made up of vastly different ages,
treatments, diagnosis, shares a bond, one that unites us at
each of our support group meetings. We understand that
those still going through treatments must being finding this
time very stressful and worrying as some of the locations for
treatments changes to keep everyone safe, so please check
before you turn up for treatment. The breast care nurses are
still available to give professional advice and reassurance, but
we encourage anyone to give us a ring if they feel the need
for a chat, a cry or a laugh.
May 2020
We have now decided to meet online using Zoom. This week
we held a toast to Pam and Fiona, both founder members of
the group 40 years ago.
We are so lucky that our local breast surgeons are still there
for us, Elizabeth Shah giving up some of her annual leave to
do some breast surgery so that people were not kept waiting
during this Covid epidemic, and Ash Suramanian made a
video reminding people that despite all that was going on,
they are still there for us and anyone newly diagnosed. As a
group we decided to send a personal thanks to both on
behalf of ourselves and other patients.
We also received a surprise cheque for £818 from Bexhill
Academy who had been doing some fundraising for the
group since a couple of us spoke to them in a year group
assembly last year.
Pat showed cloth masks/facecoverings that she has been
making and offered to make and post to any members and
their families if requested.
June 2020
We are now holding weekly 40 min Zoom meetings – great to
keep in touch, discuss matters and have a laugh.
This month
We learned that our resident Oncologist has moved on
two others from Brighton have been temporarily appointed
Dr Bloomfield at The Conquest and Eastbourne DGH and Dr
Simcock predominantly at Eastbourne.
Kathy Harmer Bexhill Mayor had been in contact to say
that although her term of office had now come to an end, she
still wants to hold her “Mayor’s Ball” intended to round off her
year of office and raise money for us and the local Macmillan
fundraising group who had been her two charities.
Kathy is also hoping that with Government restrictions
gradually being lifted, she will be ale to open up her shop
again, which is going through a refit giing a much larger room
at the back for wig fitting. She also hopes to provide other
headwear suitable for those going through treatment too. It
was interesting to find out that many members want to get
rid of their wigs after treatment – but somehow couldn’t. It
had become a sort of talisman – if they got rid of it, they
might need it again.
We have been able to welcome several new members to
the group via Zoom, some of them desperate to have
someone to talk to about their treatment and the feelings
they are going through at the moment.
Members who have been shielded were able to discuss
their feelings and anxieties with others in the same position.
Counselling via Macmillan had been highly
recommended, one of our members has been having weekly
counselling sessions via Zoom and found it extremely useful..
We all agreed that it doesn’t matter how long ago we had our
cancer, we still worry about it returning and sometimes we
think we have things under control, but then something
comes and tips us over the edge.
It was brought to our attention that Amoena have now
brought out a new Adapt Air Breast Form, which gives the
freedom to adjust to suit scarring, at the same time being
both light and comfortable.
Two of our members spoke about the parcels they had
received from the Wolo Foundation (We only love once) and
we have made contact with its founder Fler Wright, who
herself had breast cancer a couple of years ago. Based in
Peacehaven, she and her husband set up this charity to offer
financial help, services and practical advice to families
affected by cancer. wolofoundation.org
July 2020 -
We continue to meet regularly on Zoom, giving each other
support, updates and the best bit - laughs.