The Plymouth Laryngectomy Club (PLC)

A Charitable Support Group for Plymouth Cancer Laryngectomees

The Voice of PLC

March - April 2011
Address: c / o The Mustard Tree Support Centre, Derriford Hospital, Derriford, PLYMOUTH, PL6 8DH, Devon
Mobile: 07745819828 (text only) Email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk Website: http://plymouthlc.webs.com

EDITORIAL COMMENT THE PLC MARCH 2011 MEETING

I NTERNET Links. If you’re reading this on-line and come

across words with blue lettering that are underlined, then
you can click on these links and be taken directly to another
site for more information on that particular topic. Put your
cursor over the link, hold down the Control (Cntrl) Key and
click! Ed.
O UR March Meeting took place at The Mustard Tree
Cancer Support Centre at Derriford Hospital on
th
Monday, 7 March. 12 Members and Friends were in
attendance to hear Ms. Denise MARTIN, the Macmillan
Benefits Advisor give a very informative Talk. Ted presented
Denise with a small bouquet of flowers on behalf of all PLC
Members... just as a small token of our appreciation. The
Talk was followed by our formal monthly PLC Club Meeting...
our first real chance to resolve some matters since November
2010!

FOREWORD BY THE CHAIR

Written by Edward (Ted) BURNETT R AFFLE. £10 was raised on our raffle at our March 2011
Meeting, and both Ron MARTIN and Dave EDWARDS
won prizes. Hopefully Ron will provide the prize for our
April 2011 Meeting as we already know that Dave will be
Dear Friends & Supporters,
absent.
th
On Monday, 7 March, we had a very informative talk from
Denise MARTIN, about the various benefits that are THE PLC TREASURER’S REPORT
available. Denise is The Mustard Tree Cancer Support
Centre’s Benefits Adviser.

Two prizes were on offer at our Monthly Raffle in March.

Ron and Dave were the lucky winners! Ron... can we please
ask you to bring in the prize for the April Draw as Dave will
not be present?
M ONTHLY Report. The Treasurer, Jean, reports that we
have enough to pay our NALC Fees for 2011 which is
our only known expense at present. The NALC Fees are due
for payment in April 2011.

Our April event will be a guided tour around the Plymouth

Central Library Services. I very much hope that we’ll see a
few more members coming along. We’ll be holding our
short monthly meeting at the Library and then going for a
snack immediately afterwards.
M ONTHLY Subscriptions. Jean would like to remind
everyone that our Monthly Subscriptions are
voluntary payments. Those of you who wish to do so, can
pay £1 at the April 2011 Meeting and a receipt will only be
issued upon request. New Club Members are reminded
that they should pay their £5 Joining Fee to Jean.

Best wishes,

Ted & Liz

The Plymouth Laryngectomy Club (PLC) is an Affiliated Member of: The National Association of Laryngectomy Clubs (NALC)
In Association with Macmillan Cancer Support
Registered Charity Number: 273635

A Member of The Plymouth Third Sector Consortium (PTSC)

Patrons & Medical Advisors : Mr. W.M. BRIDGER, FRCS - Consultant ENT Surgeon,
Mr. Tass MALIK, BSc FRCS (Gen), FRCS (ORL H&N) - Consultant Otolaryngologist, Head & Neck / Thyroid Surgeon, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
 THE PLC SECRETARY’S REPORT
C ALENDAR of Events. A copy of the Club’s Calendar of
Events, including Future Entertainments for the next 12
months or so, is available on our Club’s website. Please
keep yourselves up-to-date by taking the occasional peek!
C OUNTRYWIDE Supplies. Christopher LOMAS writes for
The Voice, which is a magazine
published by Countrywide Supplies.
Christopher emailed Geoff in November
2010 to ask if our Members would like PLC
featured in his magazine. Geoff replied to
say that we would! Geoff then received an
email to say that Christopher had already
committed to another club in February 2011 but would get
back to us later in the year. Watch this space!
M EMBERS & Friends. Our current Membership Status
is shown in the table below:
Confirmed Members:
Confirmed Friends:
POSTAL
6
6
EMAIL
11
11
TOTAL
TOTALS: 12 22
M
10
th
EMBERSHIP Recruiting Survey. Maggie JARVIS and
Julia POCKETT sent out a questionnaire on Thursday,
February to all patients who had undergone
laryngectomy surgery and also to their carers. No deadline
was given for the replies but prepaid envelopes were
supplied to facilitate them. Maggie reported that she was
pleasantly surprised with the returns that had been returned
so far: about 15... which represented about 50%. From the
replies received so far there seemed to be no one definite
reason for not becoming a member of the PLC. The
investigation is ongoing and we look forward to receiving the
final outcome. If you’ve received a questionnaire but
haven’t yet returned it, could you please do so without
further delay?
N ATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LARYNGECTOMY CLUBS
(NALC). Geoff and Jean
(Treasurer) will be travelling to
London in May 2011 to attend the
NALC Annual General Meeting. Ted
(our Chair) was unable to attend.
N ATIONAL Cancer Peer Review Programme 2010 -11.
Geoff attended a day of Foundation Training for the
User Reviewers’ Programme
nd
on Wednesday, 2 March at
Launceston. It was a full and
intensive day of instruction
but enjoyable for all that! If
anyone wishes to know more then do please contact Geoff.
Contact The Voice of PLC Newsletter Editor Geoff Read on (01752) 563800 or 0774581928 (text only)
or email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk, or go to PLC website at http://plymouthlc.webs.com
S OCIAL Events. Geoff would like to point out that our
social events such as Talks, Visits and Outings are added
to our Club’s Social Calendar as and when the suggestions
are received and that our Social Calendar had been agreed
to at each and every Club Meeting so far. Should any
Member disagree with the what is or has been arranged
then they are at liberty to mention it formally at one of our
Club Meetings or they can approach one of the Committee
Members in private. And we hope Members will do so!
S OUTH West Ambulance Services. According to the
SpeakEasy February 2011 Newsletter, there seems to be
a requirement for Laryngectomees to register with the
Service due to the need for them to carry special equipment
for neck-breathers. Geoff emailed Colin SALTER (SpeakEasy
Secretary) for specific information so that he could follow
1
this up. Colin kindly emailed Geoff a reply. Maggie JARVIS
suggested that it might be a good idea if Geoff were to make
contact with the Service and invite them to one of our
meetings to give a Talk. Action is in hand!
17
17
S PEAKEASY Club, Cornwall. Geoff has emailed copies of
the February 2011 Newsletter to those Members on-
line. Those not on-line can contact Geoff should they wish
34 to have a hard copy.
PLC FORECAST OF EVENTS
A
th
PRIL 2011. Monday, 4 April 2011: A Tour of the
Plymouth Central Library Services followed by our
formal Monthly Meeting in the History Room. We’ll then
adjourn for an informal lunch... probably at the Southside
Cafe at Roland Levinsky Building at the University of
Plymouth. Those wishing to attend this event are kindly
requested to contact Geoff at their earliest convenience.
M th
AY 2011. Monday, 9 May 2011: PLC Club Meeting
at the Mustard Tree followed by Lunch at the Jack
Rabbit. After the meeting there’ll be a Talk by Mr. Miles
WILLIAMS, the Platon Medical Representative. If time
allows, this’ll be followed by a showing of some NALC DVDs:
NALC: Talking it Through,
NALC: Nursing & Laryngectomee Care, and
NALC: NALC Life 2: Laryngectomee Information, First Aid & Medical
Treatment.
1
The South West Ambulance Service assure us that all personnel and
every ambulance is equipped with an adapter to help a neck-breather get
oxygen from their standard kit. We got a chap from their Redruth
ambulance station come and demonstrate it at one of our meetings.They
also can flag up on their central computer data base where a neck-
breather is in residence, so they can be forewarned to check equipment is
ready and working etc. We provide them with name and addresses but
only if the patient agree to this sharing of their information. We must
keep the Ambulance list up-to-date for when people die, move, etc.
2
 NEWS & GOSSIP
C ANCER CENTRE PRAISED In Report a Year After
Controversial Creation. This article was published in
th
the Plymouth Herald on Tuesday, 15 March 2011:
A CANCER surgery centre at
Derriford Hospital has been praised
in a new report... a year after its
controversial creation.
Specialist surgery for upper gastro-intestinal cancers moved
to Derriford in January 2010 in line with national policy
recommending "centres of excellence".
Three units in Exeter, Truro and Plymouth were
amalgamated into the single centre.
The change sparked fury among patient groups in Cornwall
when the issue first emerged.
A detailed review published today reports high levels of
patient satisfaction with the Plymouth unit, and low death
rates.
Consultant Surgeon Tim WHEATLEY said: "We are very
pleased with how well things have come together at the
new centre.
"As a team, we are working extremely hard together to
ensure that patients receive the best service we can possibly
give."
In total, 129 people underwent operations at Derriford
during 2010 to remove part or all of their oesophagus or
stomach to combat cancer. Overall, there was a mortality
rate of 1.1% among the 94 patients undergoing
oesophagectomy, compared to 4.5% across the NHS
nationally.
There was a mortality rate of 5.7% among the 35 patients
undergoing gastrectomy compared to 6% nationally.
Patient surveys over the year show that 93% of patients felt
the overall service was either excellent or good. A further
6% rated it as average with 1% not responding. The biggest
problem raised by patients and their families was parking. A
number of strategies to try to improve parking are being
considered by the hospital.
The results were welcomed by the Peninsula Cancer
Network Board, which had requested the report from
Derriford.
Anthony FARNSWORTH, PCN Chair, said: "We know from
survey work that the great majority of people across Devon,
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would be prepared to travel
for the best outcome from their operation. The new centre
at Plymouth seems to be providing exactly that. What we
need to do now is make sure these high standards are
maintained and, where possible, improved, and that all
possible care apart from the highly-specialised surgery
continues to be offered locally."
Contact The Voice of PLC Newsletter Editor Geoff Read on (01752) 563800 or 0774581928 (text only)
or email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk, or go to PLC website at http://plymouthlc.webs.com
D ERRIFORD HOSPITAL Brings Down MRSA Rates by 90%.
This article was published in the Plymouth Herald on
th
Monday, 7 March, 201.
PRECISION CHECKS: Neil Cooper
looks at a sample. A staff
member uses a glo box after his
hands have been coated in UV
disclosing lotion.
ROBOT swab processors and
infra-red talking signs are
among weapons used to fight
deadly superbugs at Derriford
Hospital.
But the tool which has reduced
infection rates more than any
other is much simpler – hand
washing and its dogged promotion across the organisation.
In the past seven years, Derriford has brought down its
number of MRSA infections by more than 90 per cent, and
its C diff rates are the lowest in the South West.
It has recently become the first hospital in the country to
introduce automated swab processing – to help screen
more than 116,000 a year for MRSA.
And the 11-strong infection control team has been
shortlisted for a national award for reducing infections
following surgery.
Note by the Editor. Well Done Derriford! The complete
article is a little too long to publish here but it is worthwhile
reading it all. For the full version please visit:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Battle-superbugs/article-3299618-
detail/article.html
P LYMOUTH HEROES ARE HONOURED at Glittering Gold
Star Awards. This article was published in the Plymouth
th
Herald on Wednesday, 9 March 2010:
PLYMOUTH’S unsung heroes and heroines have
been recognised and celebrated at an emotional
awards ceremony.
Winners of The Herald & First Devon and
Cornwall’s Gold Star awards enjoyed the
limelight as they were honoured at a dinner at
The Duke of Cornwall Hotel recently.
The ceremony, attended by the Lord Mayor
Councillor Mary ASPINALL and Lady Mayoress
Kate ASPINALL, highlighted the actions of a
range of individuals who were presented with an engraved
glass trophy.
These included a brave ambulance worker, an 81-year-old
fundraiser who helped form the Plymouth branch of RNLI,
three carers and a woman who rallied around to ensure a
mother-and-son had the trip of a lifetime after a tragic year.
Others included a volunteer who dedicated his free time to
Welcome Hall, a man who strives to help refugees despite
suffering illness himself and a dynamic duo of women who
bought the community together to aid a family devastated
by a fire.
3
Bill MARTIN, editor of The Plymouth Herald, said: “We take
great pride in recognising those who go the extra mile for
others; those who cope admirably with adversity and those
who set an example to their peers through their selfless
actions.
For the fuller version of this article, please visit:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Plymouth-heroes-honoured-
glittering-Gold-Star-awards/article-3309470-detail/article.html
Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer.
It’s considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against
bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal
parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure if it is too high
and antidepressant, combat stress and nervous disorders.
The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one
of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says that after
more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed
that: It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including
colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas... the compounds of
this tree actually showed 10,000 times better than the product
Adriamycin, a drug normally used chimiothérapeutte in the
world, slowing the growth of cancer cells.
And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with
lemon extract not only destroys malignant cancer cells but
doesn’t affect healthy cells.

Source:
Institute of Health Sciences,
819 N. L.L.C. Cause Street,
Baltimore, MD 1201

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Our grateful thanks to The Devonport Regeneration
Community (DRC) Partnership for their assistance in
reproducing copies of this Newsletter.

Photograph courtesy of Christine REID, enhanced by Kanda P.

Geoffrey N. READ and the Gold Star Award!

Tuesday, 8th March 2011

"I work as part of a Team and so I’ll accept it on behalf

of that Team."

T HE BENEFITS of Lemon. Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous

product to kill cancer cells.
It is 10,000 times stronger than
chemotherapy.
Why do we not know about that?
Because there are laboratories
interested in making a synthetic
version that will bring them huge The Plymouth Laryngectomy Club
profits.
(PLC)
You can now help a friend in need by letting him know that
lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease.
Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific
effects of chemotherapy.
If you can, plant a lemon tree in your garden or patio.
How many people die while this is a closely guarded secret
so as not to jeopardize the beneficial multimillionaires large
corporations?
As you know, the lemon tree is down, does not occupy much
space and is known for its varieties of lemons and limes.
You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, – A Charitable Support Group
juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries... it’s credited for Plymouth Cancer Laryngectomees –
with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it
produces on cysts and tumours.
This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types.

Contact The Voice of PLC Newsletter Editor Geoff Read on (01752) 563800 or 0774581928 (text only)
or email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk, or go to PLC website at http://plymouthlc.webs.com 4