Ovarian Cancer Action Survivors' Forum
What an amazing day! Imagine 50 of you coming together to exchange ideas, hear from the experts about the latest advances in treatment and celebrate survival – Saturday 8 March was vibrant and rewarding for all. We heard from Professor Mike Bookman Medical Director of Fox Chase Cancer Centre in the States and a member of the Ovarian Cancer Action (Oca) Medical Science Review Committee and Professor Hani Gabra Director of the Oca Research Centre and Chief of Service at the West London Gynaecological Centre at the Hammersmith Hospital UK, about a variety of chemotherapy treatments and clinical trials being conducted internationally. You were particularly interested in asking questions about treatments – many of you saying you now had specific questions to take home and ask your own oncologists as a result of the presentations.>
Two interesting discussions were about the scheduling of first chemo treatments and patient support. You were particularly concerned that women receiving their chemo for the first time need to be guided through the process to understand the procedure for receiving the treatments and having their first treatment safeguarded so that friends and family taking time off to support women could indeed support them through rather than being told the treatment would not actually go ahead due to scheduling rather than clinical issues. Offering patients support therapy was explored with Professor Bookman talking about the approach in the States with support groups and counselling and Professor Hani Gabra describing the vital role of the specialist nurse.
What was clear from the whole day was that you felt support was essential for patients to be able to engage with and understand their treatments and that in order to move from patient to survivor a range of services that people could take advantage of need to be accessible not solely through the internet but actually face to face.
This was particularly interesting to Barbara Zutshi from the NHS Cancer Services Collaborative Improvement Partnership. Who said she would be taking your feedback straight back to the Think Tank on Survivorship, which is currently looking at what cancer patients need after their treatment to be able to live life to the full.
Ovarian Cancer Action is delighted that so many of you thoroughly enjoyed the day. Here are a few of the statements you made which say it all really:-
I love being a survivor because:-
"I feel I can give help and support to anyone going through ovarian cancer and live my life to the full..." Jean"I love life. It has given me the opportunity to become an awareness raiser..." Marian
"I will be able to see my son Joshua graduate from university in July." Kerry
"It has made me realise how lucky I am to be able to go out for a walk with my dogs and appreciate the wonders of nature." Dianna"I have survived the operation, the treatment, further surgery, MRSA, divorce and actually despite all this I have changed from a pessimist to an optimist!" Anne
"Defeat is not an option." Shirley