New cancer support group for women at St Richard's Hospital

A new support group for women is to being launched by a nurse at St Richard's Hospital.

The group, led by gynalogical nursing specialist Annette Martyn will be launched on Friday, October 21 at the Chichester Medical Education Centre (CMEC) and will also be attended by Bognor Regis MP Nick Gibb.

Annette said: “Currently it is a small friendly group facilitated by me and attended by a Macmillan information health professional.

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“Members of the group share ideas, experiences, information and give and receive support. The aim of the group is to reduce anxiety, sense of isolation and to increase confidence and resources to help cope with a cancer diagnosis. The intention is to invite speakers to share knowledge and expertise within their specialist field, for example a dietician.”

Mrs Martyn said improving cancer outcomes was a government priority and that the earlier a cancer was diagnosed the better the outcome. She said ovarian cancer was the main cause of death from gynaecological cancer in the United Kingdom, and that the numbers of cases was rising.

She said it was the fifth most common cancer in women, with a lifetime risk of about two per cent in England and Wales.

The support group launch event will include a range of stalls and will be a chance for women to share their views on what they would like from the support group.

Mrs Martyn said the aim was to raise the profile of ovarian cancer and to provide information.

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