September 2025 Updates

I'm going to see Mr C tomorrow so that he can check my scars following my revision surgery. I'm really very pleased with them. I'm doing my best with scar cream so that they soften and hopefully don't turn hypertrophic. I might add pictures later in the month.

Finally, Suki has really settled now. We've begun letting her outside - and she comes home! She doesn't like using the cat flap and we still have to push her through it. I'm sure she'll get there in the end.

30.09.2025

I haven't been very good at updating this month. Anyhow, on the 16th Sept, I went to The Kent and Medway Medical School to speak to the fourth year medical students again, much the same as last year. I think there were more students this year. I feel that I am making a difference when I do this as the students are hearing information from a patient's perspective and I hope that this may influence their practice in some small way. 

On the 22nd Sept, the User Involvement Manager from the Cancer Alliance (Tracey) asked if I would be able to go the the Picker Experience Network awards in Birmingham on 2nd Oct. I emailed my new line managers and they said yes. I'm very excited about this although I am going on my own. I have met a couple of people who will be there thanks to Tracey organising an online meeting. She's also shared the presentation I'll need to deliver should we win the category of Personalisation of Care - we are finalists for our Limbo Land video. 

I have also received my onboarding training for becoming a Service Pledge Patient Advocate for Breast Cancer Now. I am waiting to hear where I will be supporting. I am really looking forward to doing this - it feels like it is going to be really beneficial to local breast cancer services. The voice of the patient will be heard and they are stakeholders in improving their local service alongside the professionals.

I wasn't able to join a meeting for the Community Health Voices but I am in the loop of information.

I've also eaten lots of cake lately - meeting with work colleagues for our own wellbeing, meeting with Claire, and meeting with the Flat Friends. I did walk with the Walkie Talkies but I wasn't feeling great. Hopefully next time will be ok. Finally, I went to The Harmony Trust fete - they have been running their service for 15 years. It was a small affair but a lovely hour or so. I met Nathalie, my reflexologist, there. That was very lovely.

All in all, it's been a busy month with Cancer Alliance and Breast Cancer Now bits and bobs.