The Amazon Breast Support Group

The Amazons Breast Cancer Support Group have purchased for King’s Mill’s Breast Care Unit, with money raised locally, a £46,000 Body Jet System that uses state-of-the-art technology for breast reconstruction. Mr. Jahan, Consultant Breast Surgeon at King’s Mill, (pictured right with the machine) said that usage of this system “offers patients a less invasive, safer and more effective treatment. It is also a much quicker procedure and patients can usually go home the same day.” He went on to say that when used after mastectomy “the results are subtle and natural looking”. Depending on their medical history, patients of any age at King’s Mill Hospital can be a candidate to benefit from the new technology used in this system which provides one of the most advanced reconstructive surgery procedures in the country. Pictured in The Amazon Lounge in the Breast Care Unit, left to right, standing on either side of Specialist Breast Care Nurse Linda Salmon, are Amazons Ann, Keith and Margaret. Seated on either side of Mr Jahan, Consultant Breast Surgeon, are Amazons Angie, Liz, Beryl (Amazon Chairperson) and Sandra. (Thank you to King’s Mill Hospital’s Photography department for all photos included in this article).

The Amazons Charity were pleased to donate £5,000 to King’s Mill’s MRI Scanner Appeal. The new scanner will benefit local patients and that’s what the Amazons are all about; spending locally-raised donations locally. Pictured left to right are Amazons Geoff and Ann, Non Exec. Director Stuart Grasar, Amazon Beryl, Deputy Radiographer Services Manager Sarah Sentence and Amazons Sandra, Angie, Julie (fund-raiser) and Janet.

A happy and healthy 2013 to all readers, friends and supporters. As usual the Amazons have had a busy and successful fund-raising and spending year on your behalf. Our Fashion Show and Race Nights continued to be very popular and great fun and this year we held them both at the Hosiery Mills Social Club. We talked to lots of new and old supporters at the Idlewells Tombola stall and gave them group information on the display boards and in Newsletters. We continued to be interactive with Central Notts. Cancer Patient and Carer Forum and other health participation groups in our area and had a stand at the “Let’s Get Together Day” organized by Ashfield Voluntary Action (that’s us pictured right with the display boards). The Amazons is a small local charity and support group and we donate annually to King’s Mill Hospital, giving equipment, books and funding for courses etc as requested by the professionals for the benefit of local breast cancer patients. Over the years we’ve tried to retain some of our income so that when necessary we would have a significant amount ready, if needed, to spend on a bigger project. THIS WAS SUCH A YEAR! We donated £5,000 to the MRI Scanner Appeal, which will eventually benefit many King’s Mill patients. Then, with the advice of Consultant Breast Surgeon Mr. Jahan, and the negotiation skills of Janet and Geoff Stafford (our secretarial Amazon Committee Members) who over-saw the ordering and delivery, we purchased the Body Jet System for King’s Mill. We thank all our supporters and fund-raisers for giving local patients such wonderful opportunities!

It’s the ZERO’s and the FIVE’s that are the winning ticket numbers on the Amazon Tombola stall. We raised £292 there and promoted Breast Cancer Awareness, chatting to people who showed interest in related matters, displaying our Charity’s information boards and giving out our Newsletters. October was the appropriate month and a big thank you to local people who responded generously and keep returning every year and also to the helpful Management and Staff of Sutton’s Idlewells Shopping Precinct.

Pictured are Keith, and Race Night Organiser Terry Wiseman, taking a well-earned rest between races! The punters supported enthusiastically, betting on the Tote and chancing their luck on the Raffle. A fantastic £968 was raised. A big thank you to them and to Liz, for organising it, Sandra and Ann, for helping her, “Tote-runners” Janet, Keith and again Liz (they had a very busy evening taking people’s money!) and Terry Wiseman for, as usual, entertaining us so well. Also a VERY BIG THANK-YOU to the Management and Staff of the Hosiery Mills Social Club, Huthwaite Road, who provided us with a great venue and a delicious PIE, PEA AND CHIP SUPPER!

Sisters Irene and Karen strutted their stuff as volunteer models at the Amazon Fashion Show at The Hosiery Mills Social Club. Organised by Liz and hosted by The Complete Clothing Company, the relaxed evening event , with Raffle, raised £525, to be used for the benefit of local breast cancer patients at King’s Mill Hospital. Thank you to the participating retail therapists and to the other talented volunteer models Pam, Marilyn, Melanie, Natalie and Janet.

Local photographer, Carrie Austin, has raised thousands of pounds for the Amazons with her “cancer is not black and white” calendar. She has used local volunteers who wanted to be involved and dedicates it to her family with whom she shares personal experiences of cancer’s effects. A huge Thank you to Carrie and everyone who helped in any way.

Amazon supporter Jane Whitsed took part in Tesco’s “Race For Life” at Clumber Park and raised £280 for the Amazon Charity to benefit King’s Mill’s breast cancer patients. A big thank you to Jane and all her generous sponsors.

Past Master of Edwinstow Freemasons’ Lodge, Brian Stoppard, presented Amazon Secretary Geoff Stafford with a £1,000 cheque for the Amazons from funds raised while he was in office. THANK YOU!

Multi-Marathon runners, Police Personnel, James Oliver, Adrian Bailey, and Ian Wright (pictured with Amazons Beryl, Geoff and Angie) presented the Charity with a cheque for £2,574! (and the same amount for Help for Heroes). THANK YOU!

Generous friend Pat Cotterill treated guests at her 70th birthday to a meal and then they donated to the Amazons! Pictured are Angie and Beryl receiving the £450 cheque from Pat and Jan. THANK YOU!

At the enterprising “Cheeky Monkey” in Mansfield customers raised £1,300 for the Amazon charity by buying “Pink Ribbon” shots! Meanwhile at “And Why Not”, just up the road, Julie Edwards accepted donations for the Amazons instead of 70th birthday presents and received £600 for the charity (and £50 for Sutton’s Air Ambulance Shop)! A big thank you to Jono Edwards, the Management of both venues and a big thank you to everyone involved! Pictured right, from left to right, at “The Cheeky Monkey”, are Heather Harrison (“And Why Not”), Amazons Angie, Janet and Geoff, Bryn Gilmour Minor (“Cheeky Monkey Manager) Julie Edwards and Amazon Chairperson Beryl Perrin. Photo by Carrie Austin

Julie Marriot and friends have been at it again! - In fact most Friday nights, at Huthwaite Leisure Centre, Julie organises Bingo and raffles to raise funds for the Amazons for the benefit of local breast cancer patients. Pictured, at the Centre are Amazons Beryl, Geoff, Ann and Janet receiving a donation from Julie, Ann, Yvonne and retiring Centre Manager Carrie Matchett.

Pictured right at Huthwaite Leisure Centre are Nicola, Angie, Sue, Julie, Janet, Beryl, Laura, Jane and Sandra. Julie had a “Table Top Sale” fund-raiser that day. A big thank you to the Leisure Centre Management for their donations to the Amazons. Pictured below at Julie’s Birthday Bash held at Huthwaite’s Market Social Club are Iris, Jan, Julie and Lesley. Other helpers included James and Ann and many more who remain unnamed but much appreciated. A big thank you to the Staff and management of the Market Club and to Julie’s husband George

Julie doesn’t stop fund-raising just because she’s away on holiday. She runs raffles and funds are even swelled by the “swear box”! Also, a big thank you to The Cambria Hotel, Paignton, for generously donating to our charity yet again this year.