Jubilant June

Last week’s Flitch Way Walk was a massive success, bringing in over 130 people. The weather behaved well, and nobody found themselves completely drenched in rain. Just sweat, then!

When one events ends, another one begins. Coming up on June 19^th, we’ve got the Macmillan 10K Fun-Run, which is still in need of volunteers, so if you’re interested in being a part of something big, call 020 7840 4867.

Are you running low on fundraising ideas? Now what with the lack of public holidays, it may be difficult to think up events to raise money for. We’ve put a few together to get you started for June, bearing in mind that this month’s focus is on giving thanks to those that have helped or inspired us, as sometimes the message can say more than the money. See if you can conjure up any more!

1)       Send the Biggest Thank You

        Why not get techie and declare your gratitude to the world by adding a message to biggestthankyou.org.uk? It’s a new website for our centenary year that’s dedicated purely to public thank yous. Head there today, upload your photo and let the thanking begin.

2)      Get Arty

Get your creative juices flowing and find a decorative way to say thanks. It could be as intricate as a cross-stitched, framed thank you note (you crafty person, you), or as easy as a doodle to pin up on a desk. Whatever it is, it will be utterly unique.

3)      Say It with an eCard

 It's free to send a Macmillan eCard and it’s sure to put a smile on your recipient’s face. What's more, if you choose to make a donation when you send one, you'll be helping support people affected by cancer too. Everyone’s a winner. Sending an eCard is easy – just head to macmillan.org.uk/donate/ecards.

If you have any suggestions, or would just like to contact us regarding anything at all, call 01245345280 or give us a tweet at @MacmillanAnglia!

Having a Ball...

…Literally! On June 10^th from 6.30pm to 1am, the “Semi Dangerous Sporting Club” are holding their third Summer Ball at the Fennes Bocking, this time to celebrate our Centenary year. In the past two years alone, the SDSC have raised a phenomenal £27,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. They’re going to make an even greater effort this time to beat previous years’ totals, and ask all who attend to help by either bringing raffle prizes, bottles of wine or simply sponsoring one of the events that will be taking place during the evening. They have a huge range of events that you can choose to sponsor, from the magician, to the auction and there’s even a wine festival! Tickets are priced at £65 each, inclusive of a three course dinner, wine and coffee. If you’re interested, phone either Les Ely on 01376528217, or Alan Rider on 01376345667 – but hurry before tickets run out!

Macmillan Cancer Support would be nothing without your contributions, whether it’s through financial help or voluntary work. There are also people behind the scenes over at our offices who make sure everything runs smoothly – they are the backbone of what we do. We’d like to therefore give a huge welcome to a few new people joining the Macmillan family: Carol Fenton (the newly appointed General Manager of the LASER region), Rachel David (Fundraising Manager for Sussex), Luke Whitehead (Social Media Officer), Jill Corbyn (Involvement Co-ordinator for Kent, Surrey and Sussex) and Victoria Barker (Fundraising Support Assistant in the Essex Fundraising Office).

We would also like to bid farewell to those about to leave us: Phillip Wong (Fundraising Support Assistant for Hertfordshire) and the lovely Lorna McKay who is on maternity leave. Good luck to you both!

Finally, the Macmillan Cancer Support 10K Fun Run is being held in Regents Park on June 19^th and we’re looking for plenty of volunteers to come along and help out! If you’d like to be a Marshall for the day, or simply be there to cheer the runners on for moral support, contact Holli And Hayley on 020 7840 4867.

See you there…

Fundraising in the Sun

It’s been almost a month since the Royal Wedding took place, but it feels like everything only happened a couple of days ago. It was the perfect opportunity for fundraising, too – did you or anybody you know help support Macmillan through a Royal Wedding street party?

The Essex team went on a


fundraising roadtrip around all of the different Marks and Spencer stores in the region. The folks at the M&S stores conjured up some amazing fundraising ideas that ranged from a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in Southend to waxing the chest hairs of two male staff members in Thurrock! The amount that was raised in one whole day totalled to an absolutely phenomenal £17,000. Hats off (literally if you’re M&S in Southend) to everyone that got involved, we cannot thank you enough for your efforts.

The weather’s getting better; this June looks to be the perfect month for exploring the outdoors and basking in some sunshine. If you’re in the Essex area, have a go at doing the Flitch Way Walk in Braintree on the 12^th of June, all details are here: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Inyourarea/England/Essex/Local_events/FlitchWayFamilyWalk.aspx. If you’re an avid swimmer and you live in the East of England, then the British Gas Great East Swim will be the perfect way to raise money, whilst doing something that you love during the British summertime! More info here: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Swimmingevents/GreatEastSwim/BritishGasGreatEastSwim.aspx

Bring on fundraising in the sun! Plenty more events will be coming your way, so keep an eye out for any forthcoming updates you see on our Twitter or Facebook page.

Enlightening Info

The "Near Naked Man" campaign photo,
 as part of Male Cancer Awareness Week.

Four days ago, Male Cancer Awareness Week kicked off.  Over 37,000 men will be diagnosed with testicular, prostate or penile cancer in the UK alone. Now that’s a notable statistic. Awareness weeks like these are very important because when it comes to gender-specific conditions, there’s a high possibility that some people may shy away from approaching such sensitive issues or asking questions about them. We’re going to make sure that male cancers are addressed, with their symptoms recognised and that those directly affected by them, are supported. Please visit our cancer information pages to learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments related to male cancer. Early detection could save a life – whether it’s your own or someone else’s in your family or circle of friends.

Testicular Cancer:  http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Testes/Testicularcancer.aspx

Prostate Cancer: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Prostate/Prostatecancer.aspx

Penile Cancer: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Penis/Penilecancer.aspx

If you’re based in Norfolk and are looking for another fundraising event to add to your plan of action, then the Starlight Walk is the perfect choice to go for. It’s a 13 mile walk around Norwich which in previous years has raised a total of £200,000! What makes it even more special is that the route will be beautifully illuminated by both the stars and candlelight. The registration fee is £25, but absolutely no fraction of your donation will be pumped into administration costs, advertising or goody bags. It all goes to Macmillan. The walk itself is on the 24^th of June, so if you want to take part visit this page:  http://www.starlightwalknorwich.co.uk/

 

More fundraising is going to take place next week at The Chelmsford Star Cooperative, in the form of a fashion show!  On the 19^th of April at 6pm, people will be flocking to the Quadrant to check out the latest designs and garments that the department store has to offer. Tickets are just £5 but they’re selling fast; to get yours, just email events@chelmsfordstar.coop or call 01245490101. See you there!

 

We’re still looking for a volunteer who can hold up the trophy as a social networking champ and blogger. If you see yourself as a budding journalist, this is the perfect opportunity to hone your creative writing skills, as we’re looking for someone who can write well and navigate the internet with ease. Click here to go through the job specification and application details: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0Byfjt0Lief3QZmZlYWI5NzEtOTU2ZC00ZDIyLThhMWMtOWZkMTA1ODA4YjUy&hl=en. We look forward to hearing from you.

Help us get racing...

We’re only four days away from The English Grand National, one of the world's most esteemed horse races. If you’re passionate about both horse-racing and fundraising, have a go at organising a Grand National Sweepstake for Macmillan, at home, work or at your local pub! Here’s a suggestion as to how you could do it:

1. In the week of the race, buy a newspaper which includes the names of all

the horses running. Cut the list of names into individual strips so each strip

contains one horse’s name, fold each strip up and put them into a container.

2. Ask your friends and colleagues to draw a strip out of the container.

You could also request that they make a suggested donation of £1 (no donation

necessary). Keep a note of which horse each individual draws. Entrants keep

hold of their slip.

3. Once the race is run, you can award the winner with a great prize,

as well as making a donation to help people affected by cancer.



Martin Rich



If cars are more your thing, then how do you fancy having your initials or club logo on a Lotus Evora GTE racing in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans? And how about helping support people with cancer at the same time? The awesome Martin Rich, one of the UK's leading non-professional sportscar racers, will be taking part in the prestigious Le Mans race for Macmillan Cancer Support on the 12^th of June, in memory of his father, the late Michael Rich. Just £1 will get your three initials on his car; a logo or picture on it will be £50. Simple! For more information, visit Martin’s Virgin Money page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=lemans. Check out his Facebook page too: http://www.facebook.com/LeMansMacmillan.

Lastly, for anyone living in Romford, the Romford Fundraising Group needs members! If you or someone you know has some spare time and would like to make a difference to someone’s life through local events, parties and the like, then please contact the Essex Fundraising Office on 01245 345280. Join us to support and improve the lives of people living with cancer.

Survived April Fool's?

We’re glad you support our latest idea to dye the River Thames Green. We weren’t too sure about it before as there weren’t too many green-dye wholesalers about. After a painstaking nationwide search, we finally found one situated in the heart of Glasgow: “Green me up, Scotty Ltd.” Our river colouring antics can now begin.

It’s a new month, and aside from the abundance of fundraising ideas you could relate to ‘April Fool’s Day’ (whatever that is…) this month is also home to Easter, so why not hold an event that credits it? You could:

·        Have a make and bake sale! Employees make Easter cakes and biscuits (hot-cross buns, simnel cake, chick-shaped biscuits, carrot cake) and sell them off in store for a suggested donation.

·        You could also create large easter baskets of donated gifts for grown ups and kids, then hold a raffle or silent auction for them (the baskets, not the kids).

Alternatively, you could go for a different option and choose to do something that raises Bowel Cancer Awareness – this month’s awareness topic. Try persuading everyone to come into work or school wearing at least one navy blue garment, then get them to donate £1. Bowel Cancer is the 3^rd most common cancer in women – but it can affect everyone. To get more facts on Bowel cancer and its types, you can visit this link: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Bowelcancer.aspx

Finally, calling all budding journalists, if you would like to write for Macmillan Anglia and have great research skills, then watch this space for some more information coming to you next week. We’re always happy to get new volunteers on board too, so if you would like to be part of Macmillan to help change lives for the better, give us a tweet (@MacmillanAnglia) or contact your local fundraising office.

It's Time to Jazz Things Up!

So many people have been getting vocal and proactive about this month’s cancer awareness topics; it’s been truly refreshing to witness. Campaigns such as “Teal Toes” in support of Ovarian Cancer Awareness and “Testing Choices” for Prostate Cancer have been surging through the internet offering advice, support and fundraising ideas. March is also Brain Tumour Awareness month, so for more information on the talks, campaigns and research that Brain Tumour UK have set up, visit their official webpage: http://www.braintumouruk.org.uk/brain-tumour-awareness-month-2011-0.

Do you remember when we last updated you on the Norfolk Business Challenge? A lot more has happened for the Norfolk team since then, with the most recent sign-ups being “Mapus-Smith & Lemmon,” a local accountancy firm who are training for a massive three-day 100 kilometre challenge with a target to raise £5,000 for the Macmillan Cancer Support! Vicky Ling, who is one of the event’s organisers, said “members of the public are already donating to show their support which is fantastic. In fact, we believe if our clients support us and make a donation we could easily exceed our target.” The Mapus Charity Challenge kicks off from the 30^th of April, so if you’re nearby, make sure clear some space in your diary to show them some support! To donate, visit their Just Giving page here: http://www.justgiving.com/mapuscharitychallenge2011 or call Vicky Ling on 01553 774761 for more info.

Over on the other side of the Macmillan Anglia zone, the Cambridgeshire crew have organised “The Cool Jazz Event,” which is taking place on the 14^th of May 2011. If you’re a serious John Coltrane fan, or you find yourself often scatting to a Miles Davis tune, head on down to the Comberton Leisure Centre! Tickets are available from the Millers Music Centre.

There are only nine days left in March, so let’s make these count and pack as much cancer awareness info, and fundraising ideas as we can until April swings by. Don’t forget, your input is always welcome, so if you have an idea that you want us to hear about, just give us a tweet at www.twitter.com/macmillananglia!

There's a spring in our step...

Regardless of whether you are interested in Politics or not, it’s difficult to avoid the subject. We are living in an age where change is constant. Turn on the news and you’ll see back to back stories of rebellions, political shifts and the like. Recently, the subject of cancer has been massively influenced by politics in the UK, with the recent Welfare Reform Bill reading. If these laws are passed, patients living with cancer could find it very hard to financially support themselves and their family. This is why we have set up a special webpage designed for you to keep up to date with our latest campaigns, and what you can do to influence them: http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=70&ea.campaign.id=1294. We need your support.

James Golding

We support you, too. Which is why tomorrow, we will be hosting a helpful live chat on our website with the very inspirational James Golding. After being diagnosed with cancer, James and his doctors still fought all the odds and pushed on. Sign up and have a chat with James if you’re looking for advice on how to cope with cancer, fundraising ideas, or answers to what it’s like to triumph through a cycling event! All the details are here: http://community.macmillan.org.uk/blogs/community_news/archive/2011/03/17/web-chat-james-golding.aspx

Essex has been thriving in its fundraising efforts – where a few weeks ago Mr. Simon Moon from Chelmsford has been holding events, in memory of his mother, the late Mrs. Heather Moon who passed away in August 2009. Simon has raised over £4000 so far, through events such as local auctions, pub quizzes and curry nights. His most recent auction featured prizes such as Take That tickets (which sold for £300) and Peter Kay tickets (which sold for £320). It must be said however, that the night’s greatest success was getting a Scotsman to wear an England shirt for £65!  Simon plans to support us even more throughout the coming months, by taking part in a Triathlon as well as holding a cheese and wine night. If you live close to Chelmsford and would like to attend one of Simon Moon’s events, contact us or watch this space for more information.

With Spring approaching now, we’re dusting off our walking boots and getting ready to explore the great outdoors whilst raising money for people affected by cancer. Visit this link to check out which walking events are being held near you http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Walkingevents/WalkingEvents.aspx. It’s all going to kick off in April, with the “Alton Water Spring Walk” in Norfolk (on the 10^th of April) being just one of the many walking events being held this year.  It is being organised by the “Rotary Club of Ipswich Orwell” and the great thing about this is that you can start at any time between 9am and noon – which is perfect if you like your Sunday lie ins! The “Rotary Club of Ipswich Orwell” donates one third of all sponsorship money raised to their chosen charity – this year it’s us! If you would like some more information, please contact the Norfolk team on 01603 724360 or email Mr. Philip Morgan directly at philip.morgan25@btinternet.com.

Now is the time to get signed up and registered for our events, because 2011 is a year for change. Whether it’s you looking to change up your own routine by doing something different and joining a Macmillan event, or whether you want to transform someone else’s life for the better, this year will be boundless in terms of opportunities.

No smoke, but plenty of steam and spice!

 It’s officially ‘No Smoking Day’ today – which could be a bit of an anti-climax from yesterday’s pancake fiesta! However, it is just as important as Shrove Tuesday. Smoking is the greatest cause of lung cancer in the world, and what better way to prove that quitting can be done by taking part of a nationwide ‘No Smoking Day’? For more information on what you can do you help lower the risks of lung cancer and start a non-smoking movement, visit this website: http://www.nosmokingday.org.uk/smokers/index.htm. Also, if you’re a young smoker living in Essex and need help kicking the habit, there are weekly sessions held at the Colchester Cornerstone in Sir Isaacs Walk on Thursdays between 4pm and 5pm.

Speaking of Colchester, its very own Macmillan Fundraising Group is hosting a massive Charity Curry Night on the 14^th of April at the Ivory Spice Restaurant. The lovely Jan and Adrian Dearsley have organised the event to include a delectable Indian buffet as well as guest-performers ‘Richard and Mark’, who play everything from Glenn Miller to Take That! The event begins at 7pm and ends at 10.30pm, and tickets are selling fast at £16.95 each. For more information on this, please contact either Adrian or Jan via their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com//group.php?gid=48233319917.

Last week we gave you a rundown of the fundraising successes within the Norfolk and Suffolk community. More events are to come from Norfolk, such as the Bure Valley Railway Walk which is being held on the 9^th and 10th of April. This is the only walk where you’ll get the opportunity to catch a narrow-gauge Bure Valley steam train to your starting point, then take a picturesque stroll back along the railway path. You can choose to take a 3, 6, or 9 mile walk, and dogs and children are very welcome to come along. When you've finished your walk, you'll receive a certificate as a small token of our appreciation and enjoy some complimentary light refreshments along with your fellow walkers. To register online, visit http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Walkingevents/WalkingEvents.aspx. Alternatively, you can sign on for the walk by calling us on 01603 724360. Don’t forget to check out our twitter (@MacmillanAnglia) as well as the Macmillan Cancer Support in Norfolk (@Macmillannfk) for real-time updates.

If you’re interested in all things regal, then the fast approaching Royal Wedding could be a perfect opportunity for you to throw a fundraising party in the name of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Watch this space, as we will be cooking up tons of ideas for a street party in their honour, too. We want to hear from you so that all of our efforts can be combined to create the most memorable street party in Anglia, of 2011. This is Macmillan Cancer Support’s Centenary year, so we’ll be sure to pull out all the stops for every one of our fundraising events – come join us and be part of something big.

 

Fashion, Food and Fundraising

It’s Friday! So much has already been accomplished within the first week of March and we really would like to start this entry off with a big thank you to everyone who has been tweeting, blogging, and shouting about Macmillan Anglia.

There has also been so much support in promoting Cancer Awareness Month, where people have come together and made simple things like wearing teal nail polish, into big charitable statements.

We hope you enjoyed going through our Fundraising Ideas of the Month, too. If light-bulbs went off in your head as you read through it, please send through any suggestions at www.share.macmillan.org.uk.

Speaking of accomplishments, Norfolk and Suffolk fundraisers have been very successful with the Centenary Challenge. The Centenary Challenge is a big venture to raise funds for Macmillan’s 100th Anniversary; we’re asking 100 local businesses to sign up and raise £1,000 each throughout 2011. Whether it be through staff holding events, taking part in a sponsored challenge or by simply making a donation, there are lots of ways to get involved. So far, the results have been impressive, with 50 sign-ups in Norfolk and 45 in Suffolk.

‘The White Horse’ & ‘The Jolly Sailor’ in Norfolk organised a massive carol singing event; it was held in the public bar over Christmas and included a tombola raffle. In total, it raised over £1,505 for Macmillan Cancer Support.


Luke Wheeler, Macmillan Cancer Support Fundraising manager, said, ‘The work we do is entirely impossible without the generosity, ingenuity and passion of people like the staff at The White Horse & The Jolly Sailors who arrange this outstanding event. Their support really will go a long way in helping to improve the lives of people affected by cancer”.

The team at ‘Annie & Boo’ in Holt will also be doing their part for the Centenary by hosting a fashion show on Thursday 24th March at the Pinewood Leisure Centre. They are aiming to raise over £3,000 for Macmillan with a variety of attractions including: catwalk shows, image consultants and hair dressing. You can call them on 01263 712020 for information about tickets.

In Suffolk, the local ‘Willow Café’ in Hailsham has proven that local businesses can be equally as powerful as large ones, simply by turning fundraising into an everyday occasion. Not only do they donate a percentage of their own daily proceeds to Macmillan Cancer Support, they also organised an event for Pancake Day and have received some support from Trust Funds. ‘Willow Café’ already managed to raise £750 in just a few months!

Be sure to watch this space for further updates as to how the Challenge is progressing in East Anglia.


Also, just because it is focused on businesses does not mean that you as an individual cannot help out as even the smallest gesture such as paying for a bowl of soup at ‘Willow Café’ means an extra 20p for Macmillan Cancer Support – and it only takes just £25 for one hour of care for a cancer patient. No matter the size of your action, just remember that if we merge all our efforts we can make a massive difference to people’s lives.

Making March Matter.

            The 1^st of March isn’t exactly a public holiday, but here at Macmillan Cancer Support it marks the brand new start of a month filled with refreshing ideas and the latest issues that both we and our supporters can influence.  As mentioned in our last post, March is Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. If you want to find out more about the causes, symptoms and treatments of these, our official website holds a massive A-Z on the different types of cancer for your benefit; you can find that information here: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/AtoZ.aspx.  In the meantime, you can embed the “BEAT Widget” (http://www.beatonline.info/share) to your blog or homepage, even forward it to your friends and in turn, do your part to spread the word about Ovarian Cancer.                          

For those of you want to get right into the crux of things and are looking for more unusual or exciting ways to fundraise, this is the spot to get some ideas. March is home to Pancake Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Sir. Elton John’s Birthday! So coming up with new ways to donate and make March matter should be a piece of cake. Here are some ideas to set things in motion:
       FOR PANCAKE DAY (8/03/2011)            

• Want to add a little ooh là là to Pancake Day? Host a crêpe party at work. Get everyone to dress in a sophisticated Parisienne fashion, then make your pancakes French-style with fruit and cheese – or even flambée them with liquer. Just make sure you’ve got a fire warden on hand. Each guest pays a £1 per crêpe.

• Alternatively, try a pancake race. The contenders all have to toss their pancakes as they run and catch them in their frying pans. Get the spectators to pay £1 to watch.

ST PATRICK’S DAY (17/03/2011)

• Celebrate the Emerald Isle in style by embracing all things green. Simply donate £1 to wear your favourite green item to work – or pay £2 to opt out if it’s really not your colour. From green tops and trousers to green nails or wigs, anything goes. Even a fetching green leprechaun hat.

• Enjoy a musical odyssey in your workplace and play Irish music all day long. Everyone pays £1 to put their favourite Irish tune on the stereo. The choise is yours, whether it’s The Pogues, Sinead O’Connor, The Boomtown Rats or U2. And, while you’re at it, why not take bets on which of your colleagues will choose Westlife? There’s always one.

SIR ELTON JOHN’S BIRTHDAY (25/03/2011)

• Throw a flamboyant, Elton-esque party at work. Charge everyone £1 to come to work decked out in their most outrageous outfits and garish glasses, then spin tunes from the Rocket Man all day long.

Why not try raising money to tie in with Cancer Awareness Month, too? You could wear teal for a day in the workplace for Ovarian Cancer, or sky blue for Prostate Cancer.

We also love having input from everyone in different areas of Macmillan; in fact, we can’t produce what we need to without your help, so if you do have any suggestions please pass them on to us http://www.share.macmillan.org.uk/ or contact us directly on our Twitter page: www.twitter.com/macmillananglia. We also really want to let you in on our day to day activities. Throughout the months, we’ll give you a gist of the goings on in each of our offices – naming new fundraisers & volunteers, keeping you posted on our latest corporate partnerships and letting you know what other wacky things the Macmillan team and our supporters are coming up with to keep fundraising exciting.

We're just gettin' started...

The Tye Green Bowls Club, Harlow

Full steam ahead on the Macmillan blogging crusade! Welcome to our page. We are Macmillan Cancer Support, blogging and tweeting under the ID MacmillanAnglia. We fundraise to pay for our services to help local people affected by cancer and we communicate about existing services and campaigns. There are tons of people within this community whom without their support, we wouldn’t be able to provide any of our services for people living with cancer. This month for example, the volunteers at the Tye Green Bowls club in Harlow, helped raise £900 at an indoor bowls tournament!

February was also rounded off by Cancertalk Week, which ran from the 15^th to the 22^nd, and featured many honest contributions from people living with cancer. Just because Cancertalk Week has ended however, doesn’t mean that the information stops flowing there. Check out our Online Community to chat to and read blog posts by others who have been affected by cancer here:  http://community.macmillan.org.uk/whatsnew/default.aspx

Information looks to be in abundance this March – which will be the platform for Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Awareness:

Prostate Cancer is the most common type of cancer, found generally in men over 50. Around 34,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. The symptoms can include any of the following:

    ·        difficulty passing urine
    ·        passing urine more frequently than usual, especially at night
    ·        pain when passing urine
    ·        blood in the urine (this is not common) 

Ovarian Cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK. It usually affects women who have reached their menopause – though it can occur in younger women. Symptoms can include persistent pelvic and abdominal pain, swelling of the abdomen and bloating, difficulty eating and feeling full quickly. Most women with ovarian cancer are treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. If you are worried about your family history of cancer and would like to check the likelihood of getting ovarian or breast cancer yourself, you can access the OPERA tool (Online Personal Education and Risk Assessment), which gives personalised information of someone’s risk of inherited breast and ovarian cancer, here www.macmillan.org.uk/genetics|.



Get involved!



Here at Macmillan Cancer Support, there are always opportunities to get involved. Whether you pride yourself on being a great motivator and are more than happy to create more awareness by giving flyers, leaflets and posters out, or whether you want to get into the nitty-gritty of things and start a fundraising event in Anglia – there are always ways to be part of our movement. Macmillan Anglia will be your podium for weekly updates, exciting fundraising ideas, advice and volunteering opportunities to give you as much freedom as we can, in making a difference to the lives of people living with cancer.