Nigel started the meeting by inviting members to join the 2010 Relay for Life at Ascot Racecourse on 17/18 July and take part in the Survivors’ Lap-of-honour.  Registration is free and anyone with a cancer experience can enter their details on the Cancer Research UK website to receive their official T-shirt and attend the VIP Reception.  The celebrities who will open the event, BBC news presenter Nicholas Owen and Fiona Castle will mingle and chat while a CRUK scientist will talk about recent  developments in research. The online link is www.cancerresearchuk.org/relay/venues/ascot/

Relay for Life is a 24 hour non-athletic event in which teams take it in turns to walk round a short course to raise awareness and funds for Cancer Research UK.  There is live entertainment most of the time as well as guest speakers and other features to enjoy.  We have registered a team for any survivors by the name of Team Survivors for those that want to take a more active part in the Relay and if members want to join in they can contact Nigel for more details or register online at; www.cancerresearchuk.org/team/welcome?team=40173&relay=ascot 

We were pleased to have a talk from our guest speaker Ros Hooper as the Area Fundraising Manager for Surrey for Marie Curie Cancer Care.  Ros went over the history of the charity since it was founded in 1948 and how the aims have changed over the years from Hospices and research to concentrating now on palliative care of cancer patients in their own homes. Full details of Marie Curie can be found online at www.mariecurie.org.uk

The unique area of Marie Curie care is that their nurses work very discreetly on complete shifts within the home environment that enable carers to have their own time and space.  This care goes on right through the night so the family and partners can get a good night’s sleep confident that the patient is in excellent professional hands.

Several members offered their services for the March street collections but Ros still needs more for both Leatherhead and Dorking. If anyone wants to contact her for more details or to volunteer please call Ros on 01883 832643.

The meeting ended with a chat over tea and coffee and continued into the bar as usual.

One of our members, Jan King, who has an Acupuncture clinic in Bookham, has invited some of her friends and colleagues to give us an evening on Complementary Therapies at our next meeting on 11^th March. We look forward to seeing many of you there and invite you to bring other cancer victims, family and friends to enjoy our evening together.