Ovarian cancer awareness month

[SoniaOvacome]

Hello ladies,

I just wanted to keep you all posted on the latest activity at Ovacome HQ with ovarian awareness month just around the corner!

We are looking for women to take part in our Teal Tips campaign, the idea is that by wearing the polish, such a striking colour, women will start talking about the disease and the BEAT ovarian cancer acronym of the main symptoms.

This is a fun idea with an important message and we hope women will support the campaign by involving friends and family as well as local salons.

If you are interested in taking part please email Juliet.

E: [e-mail]

If you missed our fabulous Holding onto Hope exhibition last March don't panic as supporters will have a second chance to see the wonderful photographic exhibition, an inspirational portrait collection of celebrities whose lives have been touched by friends or family with ovarian cancer. The exhibition will be taking place at Brighton’s Jubilee Library in the famous North Laine part of the city and will be open from the 18th to 31st March.

For more details please visit: ovacome.org.uk/holding-onto...

If you want to get involved with ovarian cancer awareness month but you are stuck for ideas why not take part in TEAL TUESDAYS... We would like our supporters to get involved in some fundraising and awareness raising actives on any Tuesday in March.

These can include:

- holding a coffee morning at work

- organising a bake sale or afternoon tea

- sell our teal ribbons

- wear teal to work or to the shops

- hand out leaflets about the signs and symptoms

- hold a Teal Tips manicure party

- organise a collection at your local supermarket.

If you would like more information about any of the above, please feel free to give me a call or message me.

0207 299 6655

Happy blogging,

Sonia.

[Whippit]

Dear Sonia

I feel rather disappointed that the list of activities for Ovarian Cancer Month is limited to fundraising and raising awareness of the symptoms in order to improve early diagnosis.

I would like to suggest another valued activity would be to use Ovarian Cancer Month to underpin the Ovacome mission to provide support for everyone affected by Ovarian Cancer. There's a vital need to promote the Ovacome site and your nurse-led phone service. Ovarian Cancer tends to affect older women and many of them may not have the confidence or technical expertise to access online support.

A few of us in South Wales will be working throughout Ovarian Cancer Month taking interactive demonstrations to our local cancer centre to raise awareness of Ovacome and to raise confidence with IT in order that more women can join the site and benefit from everything you provide. We are also using the month to launch our local support group which we have only been able to do through making contacts on this site.

Hopefully our contribution completes the circle - fundraising, preventing new diagnoses, and very importantly - supporting women who are living with the disease.

Annie

[Anne-2]

Hi Sonia

As you now I'm having a coffee morning and am now fully armed with cards, posters and leaflets!

I've got one of those hoodies with the teal ribbon and 'Fight like a girl' on it so that hopefully will promote some discussion.

Can't do anything as grand as an interactive presentation in our church hall but can train up a few to talk the talk.

Love

Anne

[Whippit in reply to Anne-2]

I think you're absolutely right Anne. Hoodies and t-shirts with slogans are a very good talking point. I've been wearing a Ribbon of Words Hoodie for 3 days but nobody's remarked on it. Perhaps it's too discrete and I ought to invest in something more outrageous for next month! I've seen some classic ones on the CafePress website.

Your coffee morning sounds brilliant. My interactive presentation isn't anything spectacular. It's just a laptop and internet access. I have that via a dongle if there's no wi-fi wherever I am so it can be set up anywhere. We've been doing this in various locations in SE Wales for a month or so and people do stop to try out the BEAT symptom tracker. It's a good way of engaging with passers by and promoting a conversation about Ovarian Cancer. Should anyone know of someone who is in need of support via Ovacome then the site is up and running to show how easy it is to blog, to post and to send Personal Messages and how supportive that can be.

Cancer can be a very lonely experience because in general people don't want to talk about it. It's been interesting observing the reactions of my wider family and friends to a simple unemotional statement such as 'I might be on chemotherapy later in the year'. It seems to terrify people and they go into denial. I mention it in order to prepare family in advance that I might be unable to join in events if my immune system is low and I'd be at risk of infection. That's why this site is so good and why there's a need for local support groups growing out of the contacts on this site. We can share our thoughts, hugs, tears, texts and do so much to support one another.

Best of luck with your coffee morning. I'm sure it's going to be a huge success and just think how it will raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer and its symptoms and the Ovacome site.

love Annie x