A truly Unique fashion show

I just returned buzzing (and v slightly tiddly) from the fashion show held in Berkshire, at which the raffle, silent auction and donation drive was all for Ovacome. Sadly, Ovacome did not send a representative, which surprised me a bit as I thought they were going to. However, it really doesn't matter does it? Ovacome's value, as I explained to over 100 women who attended, is about the transmission of the awareness message, and about the support it provides often extremely scared women and their families, via the hotline it provides and the forum we all depend on. I talked about symptoms and told my story -- then guilted them into donating whenever I could! Jo from Unique Boutique was hugely supportive and found every which way possible to raise cash. We will not know the final total for a week - we are waiting to see who bid the most for a week in Austria, which will be added to the raffle total (100 women - a few husbands - and most bought more than a couple of tickets...). Plus I sold a few candles ... I was testing the pricing, before I bring a stack along to Members Day! And the great news? Jo got a local firm to agree to match i.e. double whatever we raised. And she fielded some stunning outfits too!

You will be the first to know...

There are a load of professional pix, taken my my lovely friend and photo tutor Lily, which I will get hold of and post an online album ASAP I promise!

Love

Sue xxx

PS I was a vision in teal with the nails and bag we made all the waiters wear teal ribbons too...

[wendydee]

Sounds really great! Well done, Sue. You have done wonders.

It's usually ROCCs who go along to fundraising events, so perhaps the Berks one wasn't available. I know I had to miss an event once, due to a migraine. I bet you did a fantastic job of representing Ovacome. You are a real dynamo ;

can't wait to see/smell the candles at Member's Day.

Love Wendy xx

[Hidden in reply to wendydee]

I didn't organise the event -- Jo does these a few times each year, am lucky she heard my story and we chatted about it and she decided Ovacome deserved support; all I did was help her form the idea and donate prizes, but it worked well. Plus I got to look at lovely clothes all night, hard to see the downside really

X

[Hidden in reply to wendydee]

Yes! Wendy it might be the ROCC that would attend and for whatever reason she didn't turn up it is still a little bit disappointing (if not a bit rude) Sue went to a lot of trouble and effort to do this ...and it seems she wasn't informed the reason why there was no representative..I suspect when you had a migraine you did send your apologies. love x G x

[Hidden]

Well Done Sue love x G x

[Hidden]

Might have known you two reprobates would still be up! Xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Haha and I'm even an hour later than Wendy and two hours before Babs but that means nothing as I was probably still up then teehee hope you head is OK today.

Love x G x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Head is fine, surprisingly, as I had far too much wine to drive - still have to go and retrieve car... What a pain!

[doreenharwood]

Sounds like you had a fable evening and bet you raised loads of money. Well done Sue

Love Bas x x

[Hidden in reply to doreenharwood]

Ooooh no! Am I sharing a room with an insomniac ???? Teehee xx

[Whippit in reply to Hidden]

ha ha - perhaps we'd better reorganise the rooms when we get there according to the hour we all usually get to sleep. I shall be with the early sleepers and late risers! xxxx

[Hidden in reply to Whippit]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz xx

[Fitzy]

Well done Sue. Hope you bring enough candles to Members' Day. I'll definitely be up for a couple (or more!)

Col xxxxxx

[Hidden in reply to Fitzy]

I have lots left and am planning a big making blitz this weekend to stock up again, don't worry!

[Whippit]

Dear Sue

I'm so glad the evening went so incredibly well. Hope I wasn't the Ovacome representative who let you down - ahhh! - I'd have loved to have come but last week in London followed by childminding for my grand-daughters Monday nearly creased me. I hope you got my message.

I think your local ROCC is Gill but I'm not sure because there isn't a list of ROCCs. It's an Ovacome secret. I know Gill because we did our training together and I'm aware she's been poorly of late. I have suggested to Ovacome that ROCC contact details are listed on the site so we can all be contacted and we could also contact one another to exchange good ideas. If this had been the case you could have contacted the next nearest ROCC to you.

As I understand it the reason for not listing ROCC contact details on the Ovacome site is to protect them from unwanted calls. Given I've volunteered, I'd feel perfectly happy to deal with calls or emails. It would be easy enough to set up a 2nd business email address and a buy a pay-as-you-go mobile for volunteering activities.

I'm sorry the system let you down. Did you contact the office? Perhaps it's something to raise with Ovacome. I'm not sure whether they have an AGM or equivalent in order to hear the views of their members and fundraising supporters but it would seem a good idea.

Anyway, back to your wonderful evening. Well done you! It sounded a fantastic event and at least you were able to give a talk on Ovarian Cancer and raise awareness of its symptoms. I have no doubt you made an excellent job of it. I can't wait to hear how much the evening raised. It sounds a very impressive fundraising event. Sorry too to have missed you - a vision in teal!

The next day to think about is 8 May which is World Ovarian Cancer Day. I'm travelling from London to Cardiff that day and just wondering what I should be doing to make a contribution.

WELL DONE! WELL DONE! loads of love xxx Annie xxxx

[wendydee in reply to Whippit]

I would be happy to be contacted too, Annie! The AGM is usually ay the end of Member's Day, so we'll be there! As for World OC Day. Maybe those of us on Twitter should do. Blitz and try to get loads of RTs, ...... I'll be in my local shopping centre, handing out BEAT cards too.

[Whippit in reply to wendydee]

You're the only other ROCC I know of. It would be really great to be able to contact each other to give support and share ideas. Would you mind being listed on the site so people know who you are? Do you know of other ROCCs?

Now the volunteers don't have a label beside their screen name it's impossible to know who is a ROCC. I was given the contact details for two in Bristol and sent an email but haven't heard from them. Perhaps we ought to re-register every year so Ovacome know we're still alive and kicking! lol

Let the ROCCs unite!!!! I'll hang around for the AGM at the end of Members' Day and it'll be a great opportunity to catch up with you and hear about your wonderful holiday - either there or Neath as I'm just a half hour drive away.

You must be getting excited and making packing lists for your romantic holiday in Greece!

Loads of love xxxxx Annie

[wendydee in reply to Whippit]

I'll be meeting Jean in Neath at 11on May 1st. It would be lovely to see you, but it will be a quick hello! I am meeting some college friends for lunch at 12:30, so it'll be a quick get together with Jean.

I agree about ROCCs being more available, but maybe some are not as ummmmm ..... 'Vociferous?' As you and I?

Have a lovely weekend. Mr D is snoring gently on the sofa, after a long stay on the 19th, I am relaxing with a glass of Loire white

Cheers! Xx

[TealSista in reply to Whippit]

Hi Annie, I am a ROCC too. I also know 3 other ROCCs. It would be good to have a ROCCs meeting. We can probably arrange one. Unfortunately I am unable to attend Members Day this year though. It is a good idea perhaps that we have a ROCCs meeting each year around Members Day.

Kind regards,

Adele

[Whippit in reply to TealSista]

Dear Adele

It's good to hear from you. I did ask at my training day whether we could all get in touch with one another. It would be such a positive move to be able to share our ideas and just support one another. I think I'm the only ROCC in Wales and I'd love to get in touch with others nearby. I was very impressed with your champagne tea and would love to learn from your experience. Sadly we only had a couple of minutes to talk at the event in Portland Place a few months ago.

Sue isn't a ROCC but has just held an exceptionally good event to fundraise for Ovacome. It would be brilliant for us to learn from her experience and from others who have raised significant amounts of money or set up an effective Ovarian Cancer awareness-raising schemes.

Perhaps the way for us all to get in touch is to put up a blog asking people to let us have their contact details and we can then set up ROCC meetings. It's a job worth doing but there's only so much one person can do. I wish I'd known who Sue could have contacted in Berkshire so someone could have attended and supported her event. It came at a very difficult time for me and I just felt I couldn't commit to another night away from home. We also have to think of our families and the people at home who give us so much love and support.

What do you think of the blog idea? Now I know of two ROCCs - Wendy in Essex and you in East Surrey.

with best wishes.

Annie ROCC (Wales)

[Whippit in reply to Whippit]

Oh, and Gill in Berkshire - but I'm aware Gill has been going through a rough patch of late so we would have needed the name of another ROCC nearby. xxxx

[citrine]

Well done Sue. That must have been great fun. Looking forward to getting candles on members' day.

Love Mary xx

[Jennie]

Hi everyone above. I'm a ROCC for Oxfordshire and would be happy to be contacted by anyone wanting back up or just a shoulder. Have attended a couple of events locally to give talks, receive donations etc., but although I've offered to meet up with "new" colleagues and tried to get a support group going in Oxfordshire, I have met with very little enthusiasm for it. Strange as members of this forum seem keen but we are so far apart,geographically.

I have met a few oc ladies at the 3 fundraisers I have organised but was not able to do one this year so the continuity has lapsed. I have only managed to get to one Member's Day so I guess the fault lies with me. Still willing to be on the end of the phone. However, you can lead a horse to water but..........

Glad to hear from anyone local to me and agree there should be a list of ROCCs.

Jennie Kuca