The Plymouth Laryngectomy Club (PLC) is an Affiliated Member of: The National Association of Laryngectomy Clubs (NALC) In Association with Macmillan Cancer Support Registered Charity Number: 273635 A Member of The Plymouth Third Sector Consortium (PTSC) Patrons & Medical Advisors : Mr. W.M. BRIDGER, FRCS - Consultant ENT Surgeon, Mr. Tass MALIK, BSc FRCS (Gen), FRCS (ORL H&N) - Consultant Otolaryngologist, Head & Neck / Thyroid Surgeon, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.

The Plymouth Laryngectomy Club (PLC) A Charitable Support Group for Plymouth Cancer Laryngectomees

The Voice of PLC March - April 2011 Address: c / o The Mustard Tree Support Centre, Derriford Hospital, Derriford, PLYMOUTH, PL6 8DH, Devon Mobile: 07745819828 (text only) Email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk Website: http://plymouthlc.webs.com

EDITORIAL COMMENT

NTERNET Links. If you’re reading this on-line and come across words with blue lettering that are underlined, then

you can click on these links and be taken directly to another site for more information on that particular topic. Put your cursor over the link, hold down the Control (Cntrl) Key and click! Ed.

FOREWORD BY THE CHAIR Written by Edward (Ted) BURNETT

Dear Friends & Supporters,

On Monday, 7th

March, we had a very informative talk from Denise MARTIN, about the various benefits that are available. Denise is The Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre’s Benefits Adviser.

Two prizes were on offer at our Monthly Raffle in March. Ron and Dave were the lucky winners! Ron... can we please ask you to bring in the prize for the April Draw as Dave will not be present? Our April event will be a guided tour around the Plymouth Central Library Services. I very much hope that we’ll see a few more members coming along. We’ll be holding our short monthly meeting at the Library and then going for a snack immediately afterwards.

Best wishes, Ted & Liz

THE PLC MARCH 2011 MEETING

UR March Meeting took place at The Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre at Derriford Hospital on

Monday, 7th

March. 12 Members and Friends were in attendance to hear Ms. Denise MARTIN, the Macmillan Benefits Advisor give a very informative Talk. Ted presented Denise with a small bouquet of flowers on behalf of all PLC Members... just as a small token of our appreciation. The Talk was followed by our formal monthly PLC Club Meeting... our first real chance to resolve some matters since November 2010!

AFFLE. £10 was raised on our raffle at our March 2011 Meeting, and both Ron MARTIN and Dave EDWARDS

won prizes. Hopefully Ron will provide the prize for our April 2011 Meeting as we already know that Dave will be absent.

THE PLC TREASURER’S REPORT

ONTHLY Report. The Treasurer, Jean, reports that we have enough to pay our NALC Fees for 2011 which is

our only known expense at present. The NALC Fees are due for payment in April 2011.

ONTHLY Subscriptions. Jean would like to remind everyone that our Monthly Subscriptions are

voluntary payments. Those of you who wish to do so, can pay £1 at the April 2011 Meeting and a receipt will only be issued upon request. New Club Members are reminded that they should pay their £5 Joining Fee to Jean.

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Contact The Voice of PLC Newsletter Editor Geoff Read on (01752) 563800 or 0774581928 (text only)

or email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk, or go to PLC website at http://plymouthlc.webs.com 2

THE PLC SECRETARY’S REPORT

ALENDAR of Events. A copy of the Club’s Calendar of Events, including Future Entertainments for the next 12

months or so, is available on our Club’s website. Please keep yourselves up-to-date by taking the occasional peek!

OUNTRYWIDE Supplies. Christopher LOMAS writes for The Voice, which is a magazine

published by Countrywide Supplies. Christopher emailed Geoff in November 2010 to ask if our Members would like PLC featured in his magazine. Geoff replied to say that we would! Geoff then received an email to say that Christopher had already committed to another club in February 2011 but would get back to us later in the year. Watch this space!

EMBERS & Friends. Our current Membership Status is shown in the table below:

POSTAL EMAIL TOTAL

Confirmed Members: 6 11 17

Confirmed Friends: 6 11 17

TOTALS: 12 22 34

EMBERSHIP Recruiting Survey. Maggie JARVIS and Julia POCKETT sent out a questionnaire on Thursday,

10th

February to all patients who had undergone laryngectomy surgery and also to their carers. No deadline was given for the replies but prepaid envelopes were supplied to facilitate them. Maggie reported that she was pleasantly surprised with the returns that had been returned so far: about 15... which represented about 50%. From the replies received so far there seemed to be no one definite reason for not becoming a member of the PLC. The investigation is ongoing and we look forward to receiving the final outcome. If you’ve received a questionnaire but haven’t yet returned it, could you please do so without further delay?

ATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LARYNGECTOMY CLUBS (NALC). Geoff and Jean

(Treasurer) will be travelling to London in May 2011 to attend the NALC Annual General Meeting. Ted (our Chair) was unable to attend.

ATIONAL Cancer Peer Review Programme 2010 -11. Geoff attended a day of Foundation Training for the

User Reviewers’ Programme on Wednesday, 2

nd March at

Launceston. It was a full and intensive day of instruction but enjoyable for all that! If anyone wishes to know more then do please contact Geoff.

OCIAL Events. Geoff would like to point out that our social events such as Talks, Visits and Outings are added

to our Club’s Social Calendar as and when the suggestions are received and that our Social Calendar had been agreed to at each and every Club Meeting so far. Should any Member disagree with the what is or has been arranged then they are at liberty to mention it formally at one of our Club Meetings or they can approach one of the Committee Members in private. And we hope Members will do so!

OUTH West Ambulance Services. According to the SpeakEasy February 2011 Newsletter, there seems to be

a requirement for Laryngectomees to register with the Service due to the need for them to carry special equipment for neck-breathers. Geoff emailed Colin SALTER (SpeakEasy Secretary) for specific information so that he could follow this up. Colin kindly emailed

1 Geoff a reply. Maggie JARVIS

suggested that it might be a good idea if Geoff were to make contact with the Service and invite them to one of our meetings to give a Talk. Action is in hand!

PEAKEASY Club, Cornwall. Geoff has emailed copies of the February 2011 Newsletter to those Members on-

line. Those not on-line can contact Geoff should they wish to have a hard copy.

PLC FORECAST OF EVENTS

PRIL 2011. Monday, 4th

April 2011: A Tour of the Plymouth Central Library Services followed by our

formal Monthly Meeting in the History Room. We’ll then adjourn for an informal lunch... probably at the Southside Cafe at Roland Levinsky Building at the University of Plymouth. Those wishing to attend this event are kindly requested to contact Geoff at their earliest convenience.

AY 2011. Monday, 9

th May 2011: PLC Club Meeting

at the Mustard Tree followed by Lunch at the Jack Rabbit. After the meeting there’ll be a Talk by Mr. Miles WILLIAMS, the Platon Medical Representative. If time allows, this’ll be followed by a showing of some NALC DVDs: NALC: Talking it Through, NALC: Nursing & Laryngectomee Care, and NALC: NALC Life 2: Laryngectomee Information, First Aid & Medical Treatment.

1 The South West Ambulance Service assure us that all personnel and

every ambulance is equipped with an adapter to help a neck-breather get oxygen from their standard kit. We got a chap from their Redruth ambulance station come and demonstrate it at one of our meetings.They also can flag up on their central computer data base where a neck-breather is in residence, so they can be forewarned to check equipment is ready and working etc. We provide them with name and addresses but only if the patient agree to this sharing of their information. We must keep the Ambulance list up-to-date for when people die, move, etc.

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Contact The Voice of PLC Newsletter Editor Geoff Read on (01752) 563800 or 0774581928 (text only)

or email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk, or go to PLC website at http://plymouthlc.webs.com 3

NEWS & GOSSIP

ANCER CENTRE PRAISED In Report a Year After Controversial Creation. This article was published in

the Plymouth Herald on Tuesday, 15th

March 2011:

A CANCER surgery centre at Derriford Hospital has been praised in a new report... a year after its controversial creation. Specialist surgery for upper gastro-intestinal cancers moved to Derriford in January 2010 in line with national policy recommending "centres of excellence". Three units in Exeter, Truro and Plymouth were amalgamated into the single centre. The change sparked fury among patient groups in Cornwall when the issue first emerged. A detailed review published today reports high levels of patient satisfaction with the Plymouth unit, and low death rates. Consultant Surgeon Tim WHEATLEY said: "We are very pleased with how well things have come together at the new centre. "As a team, we are working extremely hard together to ensure that patients receive the best service we can possibly give." In total, 129 people underwent operations at Derriford during 2010 to remove part or all of their oesophagus or stomach to combat cancer. Overall, there was a mortality rate of 1.1% among the 94 patients undergoing oesophagectomy, compared to 4.5% across the NHS nationally. There was a mortality rate of 5.7% among the 35 patients undergoing gastrectomy compared to 6% nationally. Patient surveys over the year show that 93% of patients felt the overall service was either excellent or good. A further 6% rated it as average with 1% not responding. The biggest problem raised by patients and their families was parking. A number of strategies to try to improve parking are being considered by the hospital. The results were welcomed by the Peninsula Cancer Network Board, which had requested the report from Derriford. Anthony FARNSWORTH, PCN Chair, said: "We know from survey work that the great majority of people across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would be prepared to travel for the best outcome from their operation. The new centre at Plymouth seems to be providing exactly that. What we need to do now is make sure these high standards are maintained and, where possible, improved, and that all possible care apart from the highly-specialised surgery continues to be offered locally."

ERRIFORD HOSPITAL Brings Down MRSA Rates by 90%. This article was published in the Plymouth Herald on

Monday, 7th

March, 201. PRECISION CHECKS: Neil Cooper looks at a sample. A staff member uses a glo box after his hands have been coated in UV disclosing lotion. ROBOT swab processors and infra-red talking signs are among weapons used to fight deadly superbugs at Derriford Hospital. But the tool which has reduced infection rates more than any other is much simpler – hand washing and its dogged promotion across the organisation. In the past seven years, Derriford has brought down its number of MRSA infections by more than 90 per cent, and its C diff rates are the lowest in the South West. It has recently become the first hospital in the country to introduce automated swab processing – to help screen more than 116,000 a year for MRSA. And the 11-strong infection control team has been shortlisted for a national award for reducing infections following surgery. Note by the Editor. Well Done Derriford! The complete article is a little too long to publish here but it is worthwhile reading it all. For the full version please visit: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Battle-superbugs/article-3299618-detail/article.html

LYMOUTH HEROES ARE HONOURED at Glittering Gold Star Awards. This article was published in the Plymouth

Herald on Wednesday, 9th

March 2010:

PLYMOUTH’S unsung heroes and heroines have been recognised and celebrated at an emotional awards ceremony. Winners of The Herald & First Devon and Cornwall’s Gold Star awards enjoyed the limelight as they were honoured at a dinner at The Duke of Cornwall Hotel recently. The ceremony, attended by the Lord Mayor Councillor Mary ASPINALL and Lady Mayoress Kate ASPINALL, highlighted the actions of a range of individuals who were presented with an engraved glass trophy. These included a brave ambulance worker, an 81-year-old fundraiser who helped form the Plymouth branch of RNLI, three carers and a woman who rallied around to ensure a mother-and-son had the trip of a lifetime after a tragic year. Others included a volunteer who dedicated his free time to Welcome Hall, a man who strives to help refugees despite suffering illness himself and a dynamic duo of women who bought the community together to aid a family devastated by a fire.

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Contact The Voice of PLC Newsletter Editor Geoff Read on (01752) 563800 or 0774581928 (text only)

or email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk, or go to PLC website at http://plymouthlc.webs.com 4

Bill MARTIN, editor of The Plymouth Herald, said: “We take great pride in recognising those who go the extra mile for others; those who cope admirably with adversity and those who set an example to their peers through their selfless actions. For the fuller version of this article, please visit: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Plymouth-heroes-honoured-glittering-Gold-Star-awards/article-3309470-detail/article.html

Photograph courtesy of Christine REID, enhanced by Kanda P.

Geoffrey N. READ and the Gold Star Award! Tuesday, 8th March 2011

"I work as part of a Team and so I’ll accept it on behalf

of that Team."

HE BENEFITS of Lemon. Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells.

It is 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy. Why do we not know about that? Because there are laboratories interested in making a synthetic version that will bring them huge profits. You can now help a friend in need by letting him know that lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease. Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy. If you can, plant a lemon tree in your garden or patio. How many people die while this is a closely guarded secret so as not to jeopardize the beneficial multimillionaires large corporations? As you know, the lemon tree is down, does not occupy much space and is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries... it’s credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumours. This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types.

Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer. It’s considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure if it is too high and antidepressant, combat stress and nervous disorders. The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that: It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas... the compounds of this tree actually showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chimiothérapeutte in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells. And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract not only destroys malignant cancer cells but doesn’t affect healthy cells. Source: Institute of Health Sciences, 819 N. L.L.C. Cause Street, Baltimore, MD 1201

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Our grateful thanks to The Devonport Regeneration Community (DRC) Partnership for their assistance in reproducing copies of this Newsletter.

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The Plymouth Laryngectomy Club

(PLC)

– A Charitable Support Group for Plymouth Cancer Laryngectomees –