‘Colon-aid’ the Yeovil District Bowel Cancer Support Group
Minutes of the 8th Colorectal Cancer Patient Support Group held on Friday 16 March 2007 at St Margaret’s in Yeovil
Present
Members attending 18.
Apologies
Apologies received from 7 members.
Welcome
Members attending 18.
Apologies
Apologies received from 7 members.
Welcome
The group was pleased to welcome two new members – Barry Pitkin and Pam Price.
Matters Arising
Web site
Rowland reported that Rex’s story had been added to the site and a link added for the Somerset Colorectal Cancer Support Group. This group is now established as a registered charity and was formed by the people who came to talk to us at the August 2006 meeting at Yeovil.
Toilet Facilities Survey
No new entries were identified and Rowland requested that members using public facilities over the coming month consider recommending any that they consider suitable. Knowing where you can find decent toilet facilities is a real advantage for ostomates.
Web site
Rowland reported that Rex’s story had been added to the site and a link added for the Somerset Colorectal Cancer Support Group. This group is now established as a registered charity and was formed by the people who came to talk to us at the August 2006 meeting at Yeovil.
Toilet Facilities Survey
No new entries were identified and Rowland requested that members using public facilities over the coming month consider recommending any that they consider suitable. Knowing where you can find decent toilet facilities is a real advantage for ostomates.
Guest Speaker
Sue Bulley from Yeovil District Hospital attended the meeting as guest speaker and gave an interesting presentation about Clinical Trials in Bowel Cancer at Yeovil District Hospital. Key points were as follows:
Sue Bulley from Yeovil District Hospital attended the meeting as guest speaker and gave an interesting presentation about Clinical Trials in Bowel Cancer at Yeovil District Hospital. Key points were as follows:
|
·
|
There has been a clinical trials unit at Yeovil District Hospital since 1997. Currently there are 72 active oncology trials, 42 are open to recruitment. 21 others focusing on Stroke, Rheumatology, Cardiology, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics and Parkinson’s.
|
|
·
|
There is a wide range of research activity with over 95 research trials. These are mostly NHS designed and are funded by Department of Health (DoH) mainly with Cancer Research UK, but also other charities such as Medical Research Council, Arthritis Research Campaign and British Heart Foundation.
|
|
·
|
A clinical trial is a research study in patients to test the usefulness and safety of a promising new treatment or procedure. They study new ways to prevent, diagnose or treat disease, evaluate new drugs or drug combination, and test new treatments or surgical procedures.
|
|
·
|
Any new drug, diagnostic test or surgical procedure must be shown to be effective and safe before it can be marketed and used more widely.
|