BBC link from Kent

I am quickly adding a link before I go to work. This is about John Sachs who I met at the Meso uk patient and carer day last year.
He had his lung removed which is a very drastic operation and its good to see how well he looks in the clip.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7260000/newsid_7267300?redirect=7267336.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1 >

Action Meso day

Action Meso day was a great success. The meeting was well attended and Jackie Lowe explained about the Roger Lowe campaign and what it stood for. She also introduced the professionals who attended. A specialist nurse, benefits expert, NHS cancer support stand and solicitors. It was good to meet Suzanne, Fluffy the cats mum, who has been a very helpful supplier of information to this site. She gave me 3 beautiful dragonfly window ornaments which I absolutley love, Thanks Suzanne.
The tree planting was charming with Jackie’s son and her sister, Tracey’s daughter planting snowdrops beneath the newly planted tree.

After the event, I scrambled off to Orange were the canteen staff had done a great job of selling cookies, pin ribbons and decorated the area with red and white balloons and serviettes.

Even the biscuits had balloons on them. Kaz Evans, the canteen manager, had been very supportive of the cause. I set up the raffle prizes and sold tickets at £1 per strip and made over £100. The grand total has yet to be finalised.

Good morning sunshine

The sun is shining in the window and is marking a change in my life. I am now, officially, a single parent. My ex moved out last week and this is my first morning (of many I hope) of the rest of my life. My little boy has adjusted well to the change although it is very early to tell yet. He spent the weekend with his daddy and is seeing him again today. His daddy and I have a very amicable arrangement and this helps a lot with what everything else going on in my life. I have still not heard from Dr Calleboute, he is an alternative therapist who focuses on diet as part of the cancer treatment, I will be ringing my oncologist this week to find out what the update is. Dr Calleboute is in Harley Street and has a very good reputation.

I am busy also, oraganising a raffle in my workplace. My colleagues are very supportive, the canteen manager has been very helpful and will be selling cookies in aid of Action Mesothelioma day and Mick Knighton fund. This is to raise money for much needed research into this disease as Mesothelioma is one of the cancers that, at present, has no cure.

Gordon Ramsey

I am waiting on news from my friend that Gordon Ramsey will sign a book for us to raise funds. Hopefully, what will happen is we will find the winner and the book will have a personal signature to the winner from Gordon Ramsey.

If this happens it will be great as I have been thinking of having an auction to raise funds.

first week over

The first week on my new shift is over. It has been really good and the team are great. I am now gearing up for Action mesothelioma day which is on Wednesday. I will be attending the tree planting with many of my friends. I will hopefully be covered in the media and will give Mesothelioma and asbestos awareness the coverage it needs.
There are so many people either affected by this disease or know some one who is.
I have spoken to so many men who have said they had worked with it and that they had rolled the asbestos up and threw it around like snowballs or played football with it. I expect my dad did that, not knowing how dangerous it was. If he had known, I don’t think he would never had taken the job.
Now that the awareness is out in the public domain, it needs to be exposed so everyone who comes across it has the knowledge of how dangerous it is.

Update on Meso day

My new team have been so welcoming, I still miss the old team but I have made so many friends who will become longtime friends that it makes it so much easier to deal with. I hope I stay on this team for a while and get to know them as well as the last one.
Back to the issue in hand.

27th February Action Mesothelioma Day

Saltram House 10:30am
Tree planting in memory of all those families affected by Mesothelioma and those who have lost their lives to it.
There will also be a free walk in clinic in the Fennamore Room which will include a specialist nurse, benefits expert and solicitors.
There will be a short film. (it is the film that the 5 students made in October)
Hopefully all will go well with showing it.
see link below for more information
http://www.prospect.org.uk/healthandsafety/rogerlowecampaign/rogerloweforum/210

Below is all other events happening.

Mick Knighton Fund
Gateshead Civic Center
Regent Street
Gateshead

27th February 2008
10.30am - 4.00pm
Registration and Coffee 10.00am
If you wish to attend the conference please return the attendance form
http://www.mickknightonmesorf.org/actionMeso3.html

June Hancock Fund
The West Room,
Leeds Civic Hall,
Leeds
10.45am - 12.30pm
http://www.junehancockfund.org/news30.htm
Rory O'neill (editor of Hazards magazine)will be attending

HASAG
12.30
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
Followed by1.00pm
Portsmouth Guildhall
PUBLIC MEETING
http://www.hasag.co.uk/amd.php

Cheshire Asbestos victims support group
12:00pm
Public MeetingLiverpool town hall
http://www.cavsg.co.uk/cavsg_news15.htm

East London Mesothelioma support
10:30am - 1:00pm
Coffee morning
Mayors parlour
Newham Town Hall
12:30pm Balloon release
for more information,
contact Eileen, 07960222997

Western General Hospital Edinburgh
Clydeside Action on Asbestos
Between 5:30pm and 8:30pm
Asbestos related Lung cancer and Mesothelioma Conference
For more information please contact
Diane Borthwick on 0131 537 1767 or Phyllis Craig on 0141 552 8852

British Lung Foundation
http://www.lunguk.org/media-and-campaigning/campaigns/actionmesothelioma.htm

Another restless night

It is 3:34am and once again the insomnia has kicked in. I have so many things going through my head at the moment. My ex moves out on Thursday which means I will become a one parent family and that is something that is going to be difficult although the ex is very supportive with Kieran. I now have to get my house decorated to sell. I am worried that it won’t sell as the buying market is so slow at the moment. I just want to get settled and enjoy what I have left with my children. (I am hoping for many years ahead)
Kieran is my biggest worry as I am always thinking about how he will cope and my older 2 children will struggle with it also but they have got to an age where they are more indepedant than Kieran is. That doesn’t mean it is going to be easy for them as it isn’t. They never mention the subject and I can understand why, I find it hard at times to come to terms with it as I should not even be going through this.

I had a lovely breakfast with my friends yesterday, before I went to work. It was a good start to the day. Still no word from the Dr Callebout camp. I will ring my oncologist next week and find out what is happening.
I will have to try and get some sleep as I have to work tomorrow.

New team

I started my new hours at work today. My new team seem very nice. My old team got me a little gift, a little dragonfly brooch. It is really pretty. I will miss them although we will still be socialising together.

I have got some organising to do with the raffle in work. I am collecting prizes for the raffle and will hopefully get some awareness in work. The canteen will be selling biscuits in aid of Action Mesothelioma day.

All details are listed in other diary entries below.

 Chris Knighton has sent some pins to sell for £1 each.

Anyone wanting pins can contact Chris at CKnighton-mkmrf@btconnect.com

My little boy has settled into his routine again. He is back at school and tomorrow he is a waiter at the little cafe the school are holding. They are making pancakes and selling them to raise funds for the school.

I am sure he will be a wonderful waiter.