Welcome to the July 2016 edition of the Macmillan Cancer Improvement Partnership Newsletter! This month’s focus … Hair-raising: Lynne Brave’s the Shave for Macmillan Cancer Support A hospital manager from Ramsbottom has smashed her target of raising £750 for Macmillan Cancer Support after bravely shaving her head for charity. Lynne Maeer decided to ‘Brave the Shave’ after losing close friends to cancer and has so far raised more than £1035 from friends, family and colleagues at the Royal Blackburn Hospital. “Over the last few years I have lost family and friends to the Big C,” says Lynne. “My brother-in-law for 34 years passed away in 2012 after an 18-month battle with several cancers. And only last month a friend of almost 20 years passed away due to Pancreatic Cancer.” The head-shave challenge, at the Macmillan Community Cancer Information and Support Point at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, saw mobile hair stylist Linda Kipps take just 15 minutes to chop off Lynne’s locks. “People suffering from cancer can go through hair loss and changes to their appearance and I wanted to show my support for the tough battle cancer sufferers face every day,” added Lynne. Asked to describe how it felt with her clean shaven dome, Lynne had just one word: “cold”. Lynne, who works as a Divisional Project Support Manager for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, let her hair down to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support via her online fundraising page with all donations welcome at bravetheshave.org.uk/shavers/lynne- maeer/ “I recently reached a milestone birthday and feel that, in this year especially, this is something that I can do, to stand up and be counted.” “Since signing up for this challenge I have recalled lots of names of people who have touched my life in some way and I very much appreciate all the support.” Nazmun Usman - Macmillan Service User Involvement & Insight Co-ordinator 01254 585135 or 07803 203702 @ [email protected] Nazmun Usman, Macmillan Service User Involvement Co-ordinator and Member of the BME Cancer Reference Group Sophia attended an Engagement/ Fundraising Event with Imran Khan (Cricketer/ Politician), Amir Khan (Boxer) and Aleema Khanum (Imran Khan’s sister). The event created a fantastic opportunity to network and promote Macmillan Cancer Improvement Partnership, and also gave Sophia an opportunity to experience the impact of engagement and involvement of people affected by cancer with such high profile guest speakers. The East Lancashire Cancer Experience Panel (ELCEP) has been reviewing the issues that have been raised through different cancer representative groups and looking at what causes these issues and how we can improve the services offered to cancer patients and their families. This work is long term and will continue. Panel members attending the recent Nurses Training Event at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel and worked with groups of nurses on some of the syndicate exercises whilst taking the opportunity to find out how well known ELCEP was. Following this event the Chair of the Panel has volunteered to do a presentation at the next event which is due to be held in the New Year.