APPG for Ovarian Cancer at Westminster - Wednesday 30 October

[Whippit]

Dear all

There is an All-Party Political Group at Westminster especially for Ovarian Cancer. The next meeting is on Wednesday 30 October. If you are interested in making our voices heard at the highest level of authority in the UK you could ask your MPs to attend and there are spaces for observers too so you can all go along.

For those of you in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland one of the agenda items is about the devolved nations. I hope your MPs will attend. My campaign has only ever been about unfair treatment in Wales and has no other agenda because I am ignorant of what happens in other areas. I know some of you living in the devolved countries feel strongly so it's important you get your say whatever your view.

You can read a bit on the campaign from Wales and access BBC Wales' The Wales Report at the following address on the Target Ovarian Cancer Website - News from Target Ovarian Cancer. It's now on BBC IPlayer and the link is given at the following address.

targetovariancancer.org.uk/

Please please lobby your MPs to attend the APPG or come along yourself! You should contact Target Ovarian Cancer who are the secretariat for this group.

xxx love Annie

[Zannah]

Thanks for the information Annie x

[fluffycloud]

Thanks Annie for the info, Love Pam xx

[MargaretJ]

I am thinking about this Annie! Exhausted tonight. Will PM re Cardiff grey together but tomorrow I am making chicken casserole for some friends who are moving!

[wendydee in reply to MargaretJ]

Grey together, Margaret? Speak for yourself -mine is (dyed) blonde! Heehee!

[MargaretJ in reply to MargaretJ]

predictive text again! should be "get together" though my low lights are growing out as not allowed to dye on chemo! LOL!

[Hidden]

Will be there xxx

[Suzy]

Thanks for the infomaion Annie . Will target my mp and am thinking of attending myself .

[Dyana]

I will also be going , dy xxx

[Whippit]

Shall we all wear an Ovacome lapel pin so we can recognise one another and meet in the ground floor café before going in to the APPG? If you think that's a good idea I have some here and can send them to you if you let me have your addresses. I have to ask Target if they can arrange a lift this time because I'll probably have had chemotherapy the day before and I don't think I can manage the stairs. Does anyone else have any particular needs to enable participation in the event? I can relay them back to Frances Reid who's my contact for the APPG. xxxx

[Dyana in reply to Whippit]

I will wear a pin and it would be great to meet before as well . I've never been before so I will aim to be early . What time ? Its a great idea to meet? Dy x

[Whippit in reply to Dyana]

Dear Dy - I'm hoping to get to the Jubilee Café at 1:00 p.m. Security can take a while - up to half an hour. I'll PM you my mobile just in case we need to get in touch. xx Annie

[Hidden]

Really good report on the TV, well done both of you.... Following boundary changes, my soon to be London MP is on the group. I've written to him, urging him to the there. I expect he'll learn to love me!

[Whippit in reply to Hidden]

That is brilliant your MP is on the group. We just need to remind them to attend!

I didn't know London boundaries were changing. What was your former county and in what borough will you reside? Will it mean a change to your health board too? I'm really very impressed with the NHS in London for the work they're committed to in improving cancer services and making them equal across all the boroughs. I've been to two of the meetings and I can tell you people really do care.

I'm pleased the issue in Wales is getting a public airing across the UK. It goes out on Parliament today at 5:30 as well. xxxx Love Annie

[Hidden]

In the end I think most of them didn't....but Hornsey & Wood Green is now splitting and my new constituency will be Stroud Green and Tottenham (David Lammy instead of Lynne Featherstone)... it's all basically just tweaking and number-crunching. It takes effect at the next general election, I think. So he could technically ignore me. On the other hand, membership of an APPG assumes a more general interest in the subject, so I hope he won't!

No changes to anything else: still Haringey. Yes, I do give thanks for living in London in relation to my recent health (some would say there has to be some compensation!). I've been very impressed with the networking and referral systems: GP/hospitals/ hospital to hospital. Mind you, there are still some pretty silly bits of info transfer which don't work as they should, but that's always the way, isn't it? Love Chris

[wendydee in reply to Hidden]

David Lammy is a good advocate of OC patients, his late mother had it. I should think he will attend if he can.

[Hidden in reply to wendydee]

Thanks for letting me know - really good to know that.

[AnnieMae]

Hi Annie

Just watched you on BBCi Player - great to 'see' you! A very strong report and he really put that Dr on the spot! I really hope things improve for you in Wales, it's appalling that you should have to rent and travel in London to get your treatment. When I was first dx my chemo Dr told me that I would get Avastin if it was appropriate for my treatment. She was due to go on maternity leave and told me to tell whoever covered for her that I as to have it. I haven't needed it as yet but hold onto the hope that if and when I do, then it will be available. Thank you again Annie for all the work and time you put in for our fight against cancer.

Lots of love

Annette xxx

[Whippit in reply to AnnieMae]

Hi AnnieMae,

You're obviously in good hands that your oncologist gave you helpful information before taking maternity leave. Avastin doesn't suit everyone. My onc wanted to look at a scan first and she told me if there's any involvement near the bowel she wouldn't recommend it.

It's been a bit surreal walking out of my house in the last couple of days. Seems a LOT of people watched the programme so let's hope things improve in Wales. People not even living in Wales have been very kind and generous in their support of this cause and I do appreciate that very much.

love to you xxx Annie

[Whippit]

I've had an email confirmation of details from Mike Feakes at Target. He says we need to be in the Jubilee Café inside Westminster Palace by 2:30 p.m. It can take half an hour or more to get through security so it's worth arriving early.

I'm planning to get there by 1:00 p.m. and have a bit to eat. Target are organising for someone to open up the lift for anyone who can't manage several flights of winding stairs to the Committee Room.

I'll get pins posted out. xxxxx Annie