1. The Oesophageal Patients Association

2. The Reality of Oesophageal Cancer

3. A Message from our Patron Fiona Wade

4. A Personal Introduction to the Oesophageal Patients Association

5. A Lifeline to Patients, Families & Carers

Steve Hewlett, who was being treated for cancer, has died.

Listen to ‘Steve Hewlett: Our tribute’ on BBC Radio 4 now on the link below.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04tjkcr

Thank you to Ptarmigan Media who hosted a Golf Day to raise funds for the OPA.

Special thanks to the sponsors of the event:

Ptarmigan Media, Financial Times, News International, Citywire, Talon, Incisive, Ei, Franklin Templeton, Artemis, Schroders, Last Word Media, Dennis, Janus Henderson, City AM, ESF Capital, Centaur, Admaxim, Brown Shipley.

The OPA has launched a new initiative – our aim is to help individuals create bite-size support groups that move away from the larger hospital groups for the benefit of those who do not have the time, energy, resource to attend the much larger groups set up around the country.

Support groups bring together people who are facing similar issues, whether that’s illness, relationship problems or major life changes. Members of support groups often share experiences and advice. It can be helpful just getting to talk with other people who are in the same boat.

Many patients, their carers and their family members that have had to deal with oesophageal/gastric cancer or related conditions prefer to move on after their surgery. This is a good opportunity for a few people to get together and form a Bite-Size group to help one another. A Bite-Size group may only involve a few persons but the benefits can be very positive. These groups although small in number can take place in a person’s home, a coffee shop, a church hall, local pub, social club. Smaller groups offer more intimate surroundings and people can feel more at ease.

The OPA would like to encourage people to form much needed groups in the following geographical areas: Plymouth, Barnstaple, Totnes, Devon, Paignton, Bradford, Chester, Crewe, Macclesfield, Runcorn, Manchester, Sunderland, Newcastle, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Feel free to suggest a group in your area if this has not been listed.

Benefits of support groups

Regardless of format, in a support group, you’ll find people with problems similar to yours. Members of a support group typically share their personal experiences and offer one another emotional comfort and moral support. They may also offer practical advice and tip s to help you cope with your situation.

Benefits of participating in support groups may include:

• Feeling less lonely, isolated or judged
• Improving your coping skills and sense of adjustment
• Talking openly and honestly about your feelings
• Developing a clearer understanding of what to expect with your situation
• Getting practical advice or information about treatment options

Getting the most out of a support group

When you join a new support group, you may be nervous about sharing personal issues with people you don’t know. So at first, you may benefit from simply listening. Over time, though, contributing your own ideas and experiences can help you get more out of a support group. From experience the OPA was founded on the ethos that help is provided from patients and carers for patients and carers based on their personal journey with oesophageal and gastric cancer and other related conditions. This has helped them to gain confidence and move on and live a meaningful and purposeful life.

If you would like to start a bite-size group, we can help with basic expenses, cost of room, tea, coffee and biscuits. We provide free literature, restaurant cards, leaflets, and access to our helpline. In addition, support can be arranged to help setup, organise, offer advice for your first meeting and continued support afterwards. For further information please call 0121 704 9860 for a chat or email enquiries@opa.org.uk.

Buy your Christmas Cards and support the OPA!

This year there are six wonderful designs to choose. Perfectly seasonal and all from beautiful paintings by Christine Muckley.

Take a look at the gallery of christmas cards below that feature snowy scenes at the seaside, to scenes of Leigh-on-sea, Southend-on-sea and, of course, the ubiquitous Robin Redbreast!

You can order your OPA Christmas Cards on our OPA Shop. Or by downloading and posting the order form to us or email enquiries@opa.org.uk

Download the Christmas Cards Brochure and Order Form as a PDF

Here are this year’s wonderful seasonal designs to choose from…

Download Order Form then call 0121 704 9860 or post the order form to us using the address given on the form or email enquiries@opa.org.uk

A HUGE congratulations to Delyth & Geraint Eickermann-Williams who completed the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday and raised £1,452.77 for the OPA.

Their story:

“On March 28th, 2017, our father passed away after a courageous battle with oesophageal cancer. He was diagnosed in May, 2016, and despite months of gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he died less than a year later. After suffering with misdiagnosed heartburn for many months, his cancer was eventually discovered by a gastroscopy examination. Our aim in attempting to run the Cardiff Half Marathon on October 7th, in our father’s memory, is to raise awareness of oesophageal cancer, and to raise funds for the Oesophageal Patients Association (OPA), a charity that support patients and their families. With earlier diagnosis, we hope that others can benefit from earlier treatment and a better prognosis.”

We are looking for volunteers from London and surrounding areas to help us review how we look after patients who have had treatment for Oesophagogastric cancer in the last few years.

We would like to know what you think about the following:

• How you were/are being followed up – does this meet your needs and what improvements do you think could be made?
• What is important to you after treatment for your cancer?
• Are there other services you would like to access?
• Health and Well-being events – how do you think such an event would look like for you?

If you are interested in participating in this focus group, and helping us shape the follow up service, please contact:

Orla Hynes, Upper GI Surgery Dietitian at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust: orla.hynes@gstt.nhs.uk

Date of Focus Group: Monday 23rd November 2015 (2pm-4.30pm)

Location: TBC (Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust)

Travel expenses can be covered.  Refreshments available.

Orla Hynes, Principal GI Dietitian, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, gave a talk to the OPA about survivorship, nutrition and quality of life after surgery. You can read a PDF of the presentation by using the link below.

Click here to download the talk by Orla Hynes as a PDF

The OPA Guildford Support Group and Elli Lilly have been involved in the production of a DVD entitled ‘What can I eat now? – Living with Oesophageal/Stomach Cancer’. This came about when the local dietician Fiona Huddy was approached to give her views about nutrition.

Elli Lilly visited the OPA Guildford Support Group in Feb 2016 to ask patients, family, members and carers what was important from diagnosis, through treatment and after.

It was agreed that the story line would be the patient journey from diagnosis, telling and giving their story and the specialist adding their views, knowledge and expertise in a way that patients will understand.

The intention of Elli Lilly was to make the film available to all patients via patient groups, charities and NHS trusts. With the endorsement of the OPA we are confident that NHS trusts will take the film on board and be able to give out to patients as diagnosed and put on the surgery pathway.

We must say thank you to Dave Chuter the OPA co-ordinator and all of the Guildford patients and family members who gave their views, knowledge and experience to Elli Lilly during 2016 to help develop the film, without their input it may not have such a successful film and provided the vital help to support patients.

For your free copy please go to the OPA Shop to place your order.

The DVD is also available to view on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzMpQXWXiiW-TG3EA-1yLfK7dIrFq6tmG