Women with ovarian cancer ‘dying because GPs fail to spot signs", reports the Times

Here is the article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6809887.ece and it's excellent to have this knowledge made available. It's important to help all GP's become aware that ovarian cancer may be the reason one of their patients presents a distended tummy. Every single one the ladies I've met with, or who have had, o/c were misdiagnosed at best, but fobbed off mostly, by their GP at the beginning of their condition. Often they were diagnosed with IBS or sent for digestive system investigation.

This other version of the article is fascinating too, sourced from NHS choices: http://www.iomtoday.co.im/nhshealth/Spotting-ovarian-cancer.5593357.jp because although there are 3 published symptoms now which are indicators of the disease, we know many ladies don't present all of them at once. This article in my opinion goes a long way towards identifying all the risk factors and helping raise awareness throughout the medical community and among women ourselves. Early detection will definitely save lives.
What do you think?


1/1/09 update: today have posted 38 letter to our Isle of Man GPs, attaching the new Dept of Health indicators for ovarian cancer. With such awareness, we can make the Isle of Man the region with the lowest occurance in Europe!

Hairy Bikers roaring in for Manx cake bake event!

In the Isle of Man Examiner out now there is a lovely article calling all Cake lovers and makers to hop on board the Eve Appeal Great Manx Bake-Off with the Hairy Bikers! Check it out online here! And here's what the article, by reporter Lottie Ray, says, below...

"FANCY flaunting your baking skills in front of the BBC's Hairy Bikers for charity at the Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival next month?

The Great Manx Bake-Off cake competition will celebrate Manx produce while raising money for the Eve Appeal Gynaecology Cancer Research Fund which aims to halve death rates in British ovarian cancer patients.

'We are hoping to get both home bakers and professionals across the Isle of Man creating a spectacular display of Manx cakes,' explained Samantha Honey-Pollock of the charity. 'I was inspired by the pictures of the delicious cakes on the Eve Appeal's fundraising ideas web pages and then even more so by the availability of local Manx produce to bake with. So I decided to take a leaf from Ilovemanx.org and suggest to the Department of Tourism and Leisure that an exciting cake baking competition using Manx ingredients to raise money for the charity be planned. And the idea just grew from there!'

Last month, Samantha, of Ballasalla, won the southern heat of the I Love Manx Chef competition at the Southern Agricultural Show with her honey pollock and rose petal salad dish. So, as well as organising the cake competition, she will also go head to head with northern winner Lizia Medina Quinn, of Andreas, at the festival where the Hairy Bikers will choose the overall winner.

The Great Manx Bake-Off will take place at 3pm on Saturday, September 26, as part of the festival in the Villa Marina Arcade where the finalists will be judged by the bearded television presenters. Islanders will also have the opportunity to take part in a fun auction with the celebrity duo, a cup cake workshop for kids and kids at heart, a cake quiz and a sale of the competition cakes.

'I love to cook, yet my own cakes are usually disasters,' explained Samantha. 'But cake does happen to be my favourite food on earth. I can't think of anything more comforting than sitting down with a beautiful china cup full of tea and a fresh slice of home-baked cake.' All cakes must be Manx-themed and made using Manx flour, eggs and milk - with extra points being awarded for using even more Island products. 'Maybe we will have entries that look like a Manx cat, TT motorbike or Tower of Refuge,' said Samantha.

There will be two categories in the competition: one for professionals and another for home bakers. All entries, which can be individual or as a family, workplace or group of friends, are free.

Semi-finalists will be selected on Friday, September 25. All cakes submitted will receive a £5 voucher for Shoprite, which, as supporter of the competition, has also donated more than £400 worth of prizes to be won. Proceeds will go to the Eve Appeal, which shares its donations with Ovacome - a charity that offers support and advice to ovarian cancer sufferers. 'I have personally been touched by an ovarian cancer scare,' said Samantha, 'and was quickly given excellent treatment at Noble's Hospital before being transferred to Liverpool Women's hospital at the end of last year.

''We have lost ladies in the Isle of Man to this disease which is often left undiagnosed until it is too late,' said Samantha, 'Support helps raise awareness and the funds necessary to provide an early detection technique for ovarian cancer and help save 4,400 women's lives a year.'

The closing date for entries is Friday, September 11..."

Fancy flaunting YOUR baking prowess? Download an application form in the box top right! We hope to raise more than £2500 this day- oh how wonderful- so delicious cakes of all shapes and sizes made from fresh Manx produce are invited.

did you know... your cake will be on display at the prestigious launch party of the Isle of Man Food & Drink festival on Friday night? And, if you'd want to keep your masterpiece and not have it sold or auctioned by the Hairies, you can donate £30 to the Eve Appeal and keep it all- as well as the glory (!)- for yourself. The Entry form has full details!

Exploring Ovacome

Ovacome, the charity dedicated to providing support and information to sufferers of o/c, has a great forum on it's website. You can sign up for free and read all sorts of stories and comments from ladies around the UK in a similar boat... we've all been through that "gathering information" stage and some of the information you can turn up on the www is just ghastly- isn't it? Much better to join in a discussion with people living through it, wouldn't you agree?

Here's a blog link too, from one of the forum members: http://sandhysown.blogspot.com/... i love blogs, have you started your own with it's unique flavour? Comment here and I'll showcase you!

there's Cake Angels on the Isle of Man!

Out the window I can see the rain clouds blowing over to the mainland and this makes me feel so grateful that we'll have another sunny afternoon.







on the same theme... I'm also so grateful for the amazing sponsors we have for the Great Manx Bake-Off!

Alongside Shoprite, who right now are busy printing up our lovely flyers and posters for the event,

and Viking Office Systems, who have donated some lovely judge's thanks,

we've just received some lovely gifts donated by Boots for the "So you think you can Bake?" cake quiz open to all on Saturday 26th September. Come to the Villa Marina Arcade and test your knowledge- each question will be about cakes, manx baking, and baking manx cakes!







Do you have great knowledge of baking or Manx ingredients? Would you like to submit a question for "So you think you can Bake?" Email me to share, and your name will be under your question as credit!


Here's some teasers to start your juices flowing!..



Which ingredients can be used to replace self-raising flour if you've only got plain flour to use in your baking?


What's the name of the local flour company based on the Isle of Man?

And... what on earth is Bonnag?






Calling all Cake Angels! Could you sponsor the Eve Appeal Great Manx Bake-Off? We would really appreciate some publicity- radio and newspaper- to promote this exciting celebrity auction and event!- as well as Cake Display cabinets/chillers for use for 24 hours at the Villa Marina Arcade...

Entries Invited!

Entries are open now for the Eve Appeal Great Manx Bake-Off!

You can click on the image below and download an application form. Here's some quick details:

• Entry is free and yes, you can be a team of more than one "Manx Baker"



• You can enter in one of two categories: Home-Bakers, or Professionals



• £500 worth of prizes are up for grabs with a £5 Shoprite voucher for every submission!



• Your cake must be made of Manx flour, eggs and milk (if these form part of the recipe)



• The cake should have a Manx theme and will be judged on taste, appearance and “Manxness”. “Manxness” in this instance means the proportion of Manx ingredients used as well as the theme of the cake



• The cake Final will be judged by the Hairy Bikers of BBC fame at the Villa Marina on Saturday September 26th as part of the Isle of Man Food & Drink festival!
  
  

Our lovely sponsors include Shoprite, Boots, Viking Office Systems, Cupcakes Isle of Man and some help from the WI to date... many thanks for your kindness & generosity! Entries close September 11

On the day, there will be Cupcake workshops for Kids... and Kids-at-heart

"So you think you can Bake?"- a cake-quiz for the smarty-pants out there- with great prizes! ...

PLUS- you'll be able to buy a slice- or a whole!- of the entries OR bid in the fun public Auction with the Hairies to get your hands (and tastebuds) on the Winning Cakes!

all in the beautiful mezzanine level of the Villa Marina Arcade as part of the Isle of Man food & drink festival.

Look! isn't it a gorgeous location?

And all proceeds going to the Eve Appeal with it's aim to halve death rates from ovarian cancer in women across the island and the UK.

yum yum!