Correspondence

May 2009

Dear Mr Baxter-Smith,

I'd like to say thank you for your prompt 'red' letter (with a PSA reading of 34), following your recent presentation in East Grinstead. I am also very appreciative of your work in arranging such presentations around the country and for giving me the opportunity to be tested.

I am pleased that my GP (at Ship Street Surgery, East Grinstead) has also been very responsive and has referred me to the Urology Team at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. I will be in Canada during May, but we are hoping for a Consultant first appointment in June.

Thank you for making this happen.

Yours sincerely,

FUNDING FOR MALE HEALTH

I attended the AGM of the Kidderminster Prostate Cancer Support Group at Kidderminster Town Hall where the numbers present showed the strength of continuing interest in the group. David Baxter-Smith, President, gave a talk both enlightening and forceful. Indeed, audible gasps were heard from the audience when he told that approximately 10,000 men a year die from prostate cancer as against 3,000 casualties from road deaths.

Following the recent incident with the BA plane at Heathrow, where fortunately no one was killed, if the prostate death figures were translated into air crash terms, it would amount to a jumbo jet crashing every 10 days.

This surely shows how important PSA tests are for men and for increased funding from Government for this aspect of male health.

October 2007

IMPORTANCE OF SELF AWARENESS IN MEN

Our women put us to shame when it comes to knowing our bodies. Women read magazines more than men, they learn about all sorts of subjects but also most importantly they learn about their bodies and self awareness.

Men on the other hand are lagging behind, we bury our heads in the sand, wake up and learn about self awareness. Thanks to a very special team of people in our area headed by a very knowledgeable urologist we men are given the chance to listen and learn about Prostate Cancer.

I went along recently with my wife to a meeting which is held once every 3- months or so (FREE OF CHARGE) at Kidderminster Town Hall. The organisers are a very friendly and caring group of people. I listened to Mr Bill Elliott Golf Correspondent for The Observer (speaker for the evening) and I had a PSA test - a simple blood test given to men 50 years or more which could indicate signs of early changes in your body - all private and confidential and carried out by professionals. "Don't be afraid of being afraid - you're not alone". Go along to the next meeting, become aware and pass your learning on to others. Go on you can do it. I did.

To find out about the next meeting and other events contact
www.kidderminsterpcsg.com

Michael Carr St John's Avenue Kidderminster

	August 2009 Dear Editor My wife and I would like to thank Barbara and the committee most sincerely for a wonderful day out in Llangollen in May. We made our first trip with the group to Salisbury last year and thought that visit was first class but this was just as good if not better. Barbara’s planning was quite superb, from the welcome coffee stop on the outskirts of Shrewsbury to the boat trip on the canal over the wonderful Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. After a short stay in Llangollen itself we were taken by our friendly coach driver to the delightful Bryn Howel Hotel, where we enjoyed a magnificent buffet tea. Altogether it was a lovely day, spent in pleasant company, which could do nothing but encourage us to look forward to the next day out in September. The committee deserves a big vote of thanks for greatly subsidising these trips and Barbara is to be commended for her organisation. Thank you one and all! Graham Williams Alveley
	June 2009 To Members of the Prostate Cancer Support Group, Kidderminster This is a personal invitation to your organisation, Prostate Cancer - Kidderminster & District - Worcestershire, to take part in a new survey on CARE PLANNING being jointly conducted by the ROYAL COLLEGE of NURSING and NATIONAL VOICES (a London-based umbrella body with 200 member organisations, established in September 2008 by and for the voluntary sector). (The link to the online survey is found below). This survey is one of the first efforts to discover WHAT PATIENTS AND THE PUBLIC REALLY THINK ABOUT the government's care plan initiatives. Both National Voices and the Royal College of Nursing plan to communicate the survey findings to government. EVEN IF YOU (OR YOUR ORGANISATION) HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED in care planning, National Voices and the Royal College would still like to receive your organisation's invaluable views upon elements of the subject. You will find this survey to be relatively short. It has 16 mainly multiple-choice questions that will probably take no more than 15 minutes of your time to complete (depending on how many comments you wish to offer). All responses to the survey will be anonymous (unless you specify otherwise). The survey’s closing date is Friday, 17th July 2009. Both National Voices and the Royal College of Nursing plan to communicate the survey findings to government. To thank you for contributing your opinions to the study, and to allow you to learn the results, PatientView, the survey manager, will EMAIL A PDF COPY OF THE SURVEY REPORT to you if you request to receive one (expected date of release: September 2009). Yours faithfully, Howard Catton, Head of Policy Development and Implementation, Royal College of Nursing and Mark Platt, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, National Voices The survey is being administered by PatientView. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact: Louise Oatham ('NV/RCN study of patient/public involvement'), PatientView, Woodhouse Place, Upper Woodhouse, Knighton, Powys, LD7 1NG Tel: 01547-520-965; e-mail: info@patient-view.com To commence the survey, just press the control button on your computer’s keyboard and at the same time click on the link below: CARE PLANNING [https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=5RCxzE8svip0gevPXZBGBg_3d_3d] About National Voices and the Royal College of Nursing National Voices is an umbrella voluntary organisation that aims to influence government health and social care policy by ensuring that the voices of patients, carers and service users are heard by government. Campaigns, and strengthens the voice of voluntary organisations. Formed in its present enlarged state in September 2008, when it merged with the Long-Term Conditions Alliance (LTCA). http://www.nationalvoices.org.uk The Royal College of Nursing The RCN is the official body representing nurses and nursing in the UK. The Royal College, like National Voices, lobbies government to develop and implement policy that improves the quality of patient care. As a member-led organisation, the RCN aims to maximise its contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of the national population. http://www.rcn.org.uk
	May 2009 Dear Mr Baxter-Smith, I'd like to say thank you for your prompt 'red' letter (with a PSA reading of 34), following your recent presentation in East Grinstead. I am also very appreciative of your work in arranging such presentations around the country and for giving me the opportunity to be tested. I am pleased that my GP (at Ship Street Surgery, East Grinstead) has also been very responsive and has referred me to the Urology Team at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. I will be in Canada during May, but we are hoping for a Consultant first appointment in June. Thank you for making this happen. Yours sincerely,
	February 2008 FUNDING FOR MALE HEALTH I attended the AGM of the Kidderminster Prostate Cancer Support Group at Kidderminster Town Hall where the numbers present showed the strength of continuing interest in the group. David Baxter-Smith, President, gave a talk both enlightening and forceful. Indeed, audible gasps were heard from the audience when he told that approximately 10,000 men a year die from prostate cancer as against 3,000 casualties from road deaths. Following the recent incident with the BA plane at Heathrow, where fortunately no one was killed, if the prostate death figures were translated into air crash terms, it would amount to a jumbo jet crashing every 10 days. This surely shows how important PSA tests are for men and for increased funding from Government for this aspect of male health. Jean Smith Bewdley.
	October 2007 IMPORTANCE OF SELF AWARENESS IN MEN Our women put us to shame when it comes to knowing our bodies. Women read magazines more than men, they learn about all sorts of subjects but also most importantly they learn about their bodies and self awareness. Men on the other hand are lagging behind, we bury our heads in the sand, wake up and learn about self awareness. Thanks to a very special team of people in our area headed by a very knowledgeable urologist we men are given the chance to listen and learn about Prostate Cancer. I went along recently with my wife to a meeting which is held once every 3- months or so (FREE OF CHARGE) at Kidderminster Town Hall. The organisers are a very friendly and caring group of people. I listened to Mr Bill Elliott Golf Correspondent for The Observer (speaker for the evening) and I had a PSA test - a simple blood test given to men 50 years or more which could indicate signs of early changes in your body - all private and confidential and carried out by professionals. "Don't be afraid of being afraid - you're not alone". Go along to the next meeting, become aware and pass your learning on to others. Go on you can do it. I did. To find out about the next meeting and other events contact www.kidderminsterpcsg.com Michael Carr St John's Avenue Kidderminster

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