GO Group Autumn/Winter 2025

AGM Reminder

Friday 6th March 2026 2-4pm
Allendale House in Wimborne.
There will be a dietitian’s talk this year.

eBook

A lady called Ann Wood contacted the CNS service with a link to her visual memoir which charts her pathway through treatment with chemotherapy and surgery for oesophageal cancer. She has given permission for this to be shared with the group. A link to the eBook which you can download can be found here: https://oesophagectomylife.co.uk/

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Friday 12th December 2025
Springfield Country Hotel 6pm – 10pm

🎄 Christmas Party Highlights 🎄
Buffet Menu – A delicious buffet will be provided, including vegetarian options. If you have any allergies or dietary requirements, please let Liv know in advance.
Raffle – Donations welcome! Please bring along a small item for the raffle if you can.
Christmas Quiz – Get your thinking caps on for some festive fun – prizes to be won!
Photography Competition – bring a print out of your pics from one of the Outings this summer.

Please let Liv know by 7th November if you would like to join us by email or telephone olivia.cawthorne4@nhs.net or 0300 019 2580. Springfield Country Hotel, Grange Road, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5AL http://www.thespringfield.co.uk 01929 552177

If you would like to attend any (or all) of the planned outings please email your name and the details of what you would like to attend to olivia.cawthorne@uhd.nhs.uk or call 0300 019 2580. I will need numbers 3 weeks prior to each event. All trips £5 payable on the day. The GO Group is kindly subsidising these outings.

THE JANE WRAIGHT MEMORIAL SHIELD PHOTO COMPETITION

As many of you will know, our dear friend and colleague CNS Jane
from Dorchester sadly passed away in September 2023. Jane was a
valued member of the Go Group and a passionate supporter of our
outings and events. In her memory, we will once again be holding the
Go Group Photography Competition at this year’s Christmas Party.
This competition was very popular last year, with some fantastic
entries capturing the spirit and fun of our trips. Congratulations again
to Mal Derricott, who took home the win in 2024!
We’d love for as many of you as possible to take part again this year.
Simply bring along one or two of your favourite photos taken at any
Go Group outing over the past 12 months. All entries will be displayed
at the party and voted on by those attending.
Let’s make this year’s competition a fitting tribute to Jane—
celebrating the joy, friendship, and memories she helped to create
within our group.

A Patient’s Experience

It was 11 years ago that I was diagnosed with my cancer and as you can all
imagine it was a very scary few months before my operation. After the operation
we were told about the Go Group and were invited along to an outing. As it
happens it was the AGM, so on the day we turned up a bit apprehensive as not
knowing what it was all about but we need not have worried as we were made
very welcome. From that day we have endeavoured to go to as many outings as
possible. It was good to talk to other people who had been through the same and
similar operations and how their recovery was compared to mine, also having our
wonderful nurses and support staff to chat to.
On the whole the group has been very positive for Bev and myself, I was lucky
enough to be invited to be chair of the group a few years ago which I accepted. I
hope I can pass on my experiences to other new members and am always at the
end of a phone if required. The committee team work hard at trying to organise
outings in a variety of different places and venues.
Please don’t be afraid to come and ask questions, we’ve all been in the situation
where you wished you had asked but didn’t. Hopefully we will see you all at the
Christmas party for a good knees up and quiz take care – Terry.

Carer’s Experience

Well, it was quite a shock when Terry was diagnosed with cancer. Once we’d had a
bit of time to get our heads around it, we started looking for somewhere to find
help and support. The GO Group was recommended to us, so we went along to our
first meeting — and I have to say, it was such a relief to talk to other people about
their experiences and get support from them.
Over the years, we’ve had so much help from the GO Group, our lovely nurse
specialists, and the support team. No question ever goes unanswered, and there are
always ideas being shared about different ways to cope with the challenges we
face. It’s also been such a comfort talking to other carers and hearing how they’ve
managed life after the op.
Honestly, I think I would have struggled with some parts of this journey without the
reassurance and support from the group. I’d definitely encourage anyone to join —
the help it provides is incredible.
Thanks for reading my waffle! See you all on a trip out soon
— Bev

Share Your Story

Every patient’s journey is unique, and behind each one is a story of strength, hope, and the quiet support of carers.
We would love other patients and carers to share their experiences in our newsletter. Whether it’s a moment that
moved you, a challenge you faced, or a tribute to someone who’s been there for you — your story could inspire others.
We hope to make this a regular feature, shining a light on the voices that matter most.
If you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you.

Fundraising for the Go Group

This year, Liv will be doing a run in October in Bournemouth and would like to try and raise as much as possible for the Go Group. Please use the QR code on the fundraising page or the JustGiving page if you would like to donate.