COPES January NEWS 2020
New Year… New beginnings…
Your New Year’s Resolution? Come along to our January 4th Coffee Morning (10.00 to 13.00) and help us to plan what we want for COPES in 2020. It’s YOUR COPES!
What would you like to see your committee organise?
- More Afternoon Teas?
- More exercise sessions?
- Meditation sessions?
- Impressions Accessories?
- Talks on Healthy Eating after a cancer diagnosis?
- Clay Cottage Sessions?
Don’t forget to book your Dinner Dance tickets. Payments with reservations & menu choices available from January. Watch out for posters, to be circulated. Full details, orders and payments taken at Jan, Feb, March & April Coffee Mornings.
Your Committee…
Wendy: Chair
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2002. I was so lucky in that mine was treated purely by surgery and I’ve been well ever since. There wasn’t such a thing as COPES back then but Emma Chaplin, my so-supportive CNS, gave me information on the charities Ovacome and The Penny Brohn Cancer Centre and I got in touch with them. I later trained with Ovacome & The Eve Appeal as a ROCC. I started to volunteer with them, linking with other women with ovarian cancer for support & raising awareness of symptoms of gynae cancers. I first went to COPES, invited by Emma, to chat about Ovacome/Eve Appeal’s support and was immediately struck by the warmth and support. I’ve been involved ever since as a member then later as a committee member.
Chris: Vice Chair
I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer at a time when I had just lost my brother to throat cancer. I had also made the decision to retire just before my diagnosis in 2010. Luckily my cancer had only spread to the muscle wall of my uterus so I had surgery and managed to escape other forms of treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was friendly with Sue and she had already met with COPES and she invited me along to the group. The feel of the group was supportive and reassuring so I stayed on. In 2016 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and although I had radiotherapy I once again avoided the dreaded chemotherapy. I did meet the bosom pals support group once but, while that group was friendly and caring, I did not get the same vibe and therefore chose to stay with COPES.
Sue: Secretary & (temporarily) Treasurer
I was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer in 2007 & had surgery, chemotherapy & retired all in that year!
I started going to COPES IN 2008 and there were only 3 or 4 ladies there for the first few months. I recognised early on that COPES was a very supportive environment. When Emma, the CNS who started COPES, moved on, it was important to me that COPES, and the unique support it gives us all, should continue.
Hence Sue, Wendy, Chris and Wendy Barker (now retired) took on more of the planning and organisation. We work very closely with the gynae oncology team, attending quarterly planning and finance meetings with Mr Razvi and the CNS team, liaising closely with Rachael.
We are all 100% supportive of the Gynae Oncology team at Southend Hospital but now we also need support from more COPES members on the committee. We have family responsibilities, ageing parents and our wider families, it’s sometimes difficult to keep COPES going. If you’ve wondered if you can help us to help COPES members, just have a word with us and ask. No need to commit yourself for the long term!