A few of us in South Wales have got together to organise a static display at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff throughout Ovarian Cancer Month. The aim is to raise awareness of the wonderful support that Ovacome gives us.
We'll also be setting up an interactive demonstration in the Waiting Room at each of the Ovarian Cancer Clinics during the month of March so that we can give online demonstrations, encourage women to have a go, and show how easy it is to blog, ask questions and post comments.
Our sessions are as follows:
Tuesdays: March 5th, 12th, 19th and 25th - 09:00 to 11:00
Thursdays: March 7th and 21st - 13:30 to 15:30 p.m.
We're really hoping to make the most of this fantastic opportunity so if there's anyone out there who is in the area and feels they can help out at one or more of the above sessions please get in touch - AnnieMulholland44@gmail.com or send a PM to me or Chris (Darragh).
The blog photo is a brand-new pull-up display that we hope will draw the crowds at the Velindre and encourage other women with Ovarian Cancer who might be less confident with IT than us to join our merry throng.
Look out for our blogs from the Velindre Hospital at the above times. We hope some of you might be online to send a reply and show just how brilliant our friendship circle is.
To finish I'd just like to thank Ruth at Ovacome for all her support and encouragement with this venture.
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That sounds fab, Annie. Not sure when we'll be there next, but if I am, I'll be there! You have done some good work, well done to you and Chris. Hope it all goes really well.
Thanks Wendy. That's better than any school report I've ever had! We don't expect you to uproot from lovely Southend just to give us a hand in Cardiff .... but if you're ever in the area you know you're always welcome to drop in, stay, have coffee or whatever.
Love Annie x
You are so dedicated, I take my hat off to you! And not only because I now have a bit of hair! Really good luck with it. Can I suggest that maybe afterwards you write up what you did and how plus the learnings, so others can replicate - it sounds like a great idea to take to admin offices at local hospitals around the place, OC month or not...
Thanks so much. That's praise indeed from the most active woman on the block! Don't forget I've only just retired so I'm still in PR mode and I I have time and the energy for volunteering.
Chris (Darragh) and I were lucky enough to chance upon a newly appointed Communications Officer in the Velindre who was incredibly helpful and showed us where we can set up our stall. We had to give Prostrate Cancer a couple of sessions because their month is March too but I'm not going to complain because the hospital have agreed we can leave our static display in place for the whole month.
We've bought a pull-up at an extremely reasonable rate and I'd be happy to lend this along with a display stand for flyers and pamphlets an Apple Laptop and a dongle to any member who wants to set up something similar. It would be good to have the kit it in use throughout the year and across the UK.
If anyone wants to set up an event please let me know and I'll do my best to get instructions and the kit to you. email as above.
Love to you all xxxx Annie
Oh My Goodness, it all sounds so official now !!!! Can't wait to get this up and running, glad to help.
What time are you planning getting there to set up shop?
Helllooooo dear friend. You must be feeling a bit better as you're back online. That's really good news.
It's not just official, it's officially scary! What we need first and foremost are some people to help us for each of the sessions. I've even been thinking I could try to rally some friends/neighbours who've been touched by cancer and might be willing to help. Oh dear, this is desperate. Do you think people will start to cross the road when they see me!?? lol
Anyway, who knows, someone reading this blog might come forward.
As for start times - I think we should allow 30 minutes to set up the static display but this could be next Friday as it's 1 March. We'd just need 10 minutes for each interactive session to fire up the laptop and magic dongle and put out our merchandise. Volunteers shouldn't feel obliged to sit out the whole session. An hour would be brilliant.
Your t-shirt and hoodie await you here. I've been wearing mine but nobody's commented. I might even resort to getting stick-on nails so I can paint them teal because that's meant to start the conversations going about Ovarian Cancer. My own are disgusting and as I've never worn nail polish I'd probably get in a terrible mess with it. The only conversation they'd start off is one of shock and horror that anyone could live with such beastly fingertips and a suggestion that I take myself off to the nearest beauty salon to get something done about them.
Laughing out loud as always. Must dash - I'm making a poster for Curves in Neath who are fundraising throughout Ovarian Cancer Month. Jean and I will post up a blog about that when we've got the display up and some girls from her gym to pose wearing teal tips.
I hope you had a fab weekend away and left all the worries at home.
Just to let you know the display's in place at the Velindre. The table cloth - well curtain - is a bit inadequate so will see if I can find another today.
Have left stuff on the static display that I don't mind being pinched - so don't worry if you get there before me and it looks a bit bare. I'll be along with more goodies to put out, sell and demonstrate.
I found a micro-projector which would project the screen image from the laptop onto a screen if I put one behind the table. Thought this might draw attention to the display.
Really looking forward to catching up Tuesday and setting up our pitch.
Wendy I've just been sent a 25% discount code which I can use as a returning customer. I've got a zipped hoodie in my basket so I'd be happy to order whatever you want so you get the discount as well.
Take a look at cafepress.co.uk/ and in the search box type in Teal Ribbon of Words hoodie. A few of us have got them and they're good value for money.
Let me know if you want me to order something for you. The discount code ends next Tuesday.
love Annie xx
Hi Annie, we may have to drag folk of the street. I'ts only 2hrs so hopefully won't be too bad. We weren't doing anything on the 1st, I'm going away on Friday for the weekend so I can't help then. It is a bit scarey but I have every confidence it will be great.
I'll get there for about 8.30 on 5th. Meet you there. How are we off for flyers? I could do some here, our contact is away next week and I didn't think to ask before she left.
also slipped my mind that Leigh suggested we make some bi-fold flyers advertising the Support Group. I haven't got my head round designing those. I still have plenty of the tear-off ones so there should be plenty for the first week or so. I wonder if the staff have been handing out our flyers and whether they need some more. We could check on the 5th. xx
Hey no problem about your going away Friday. I can set up the cloth and stands as it really doesn't take long and then it's done for the month, and I'll also check that my dongle works in the waiting room - otherwise we'll be on Plan B.
Let's meet up 8:50 on Tuesday 5th. You're putting me to shame. I'm not a morning girl!!!
Looking forward to our first session. I'm intrigued to see how it all goes.
Hope to see you soon - but if not have a lovely weekend away. xxx Annie
Well done Annie.. People need lots of knowledge.. And i admire you putting so much into this. Wish i lived closer i would defo help.. Maybe i can try something here.
I'm not sure I'm ambitious or have so much energy. I seem to spend a lot of time in my reclining chair looking over the garden and cogitating these days. It's really not a big deal at all. I worked in PR for a number of years and have access to one or two bits of equipment. Now the kit is set up I'm happy to lend it out to anyone who can use it.
I sometimes look at the statistics. The most recent figures are for 2008 - 6,537 new cases of Ovarian Cancer in the UK that year. It must be an incredibly lonely experience for women who aren't confident enough to join the site or don't have easy access to it and I just felt motivated to do something about it. I've taken my display to a couple of health days locally and it's been really enjoyable. Lots of women have tried out the symptom tracker so we've raised awareness of the BEAT campaign and I've met some lovely people. I think on reflection I've gained more than I've given at those sessions.
I have no doubt the Big C will get me when the time's ready. I just hope I can leave the party early with a good grace knowing I did what I could.
You are doing a huge amount just through these blogs- and I'm sure everyone will concur with me on that one!
Have a good weekend- I'm off to walk Tommy now - he hasn't blotted hic copy book since Tuesday when he managed to chew a cardboard box to bits in the kitchen- we didn't realise he would be able to get to it. What a mess!!!
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