Anglia MDS UK Local Patient Meeting – 11/03/2019

Dear Anglia Group members,

As ever, this is your invitation for the 2019 patient meetings of the Anglia MDS group. Thank you for making this group such a successful and welcoming one – and attending it so regularly.  This additional letter is to inform you that John Heywood, Co-ordinator of this Anglia Group will be retiring from that role as of this 11^th March meeting.

We would like to express our sincerest thanks to John for all the care, dedication and cooperation that he has put into this role over the last couple of years, together with the other core members of the group. Under his guiding hand the group has flourished and has now more members attending than ever. Through John’s great coordination, the group has had regular speakers on relevant topics and lively discussions about the issues that affect all members.

Please come along to this meeting to show your appreciation of John’s efforts and commitment to the group.

Continuity of the Anglia MDS group meetings:
We would like to invite a few Anglia group members to take on a ‘meet & greet’ role for the future, until a new Coordinator comes forward. Please indicate your interest at the meeting on the 11^th March or by contacting the main office any time.

All our local groups rely on patients or carers to act as co-ordinators, as we would not have enough staff members to attend the many and frequent local group meetings throughout the country.  The task of coordinator for established groups is relatively straight forward, and our main office takes care of all the invitations. John has kindly drawn-up a list of tasks specific to the Anglia. These tasks can be shared amongst different people.

Organisation of Anglia group meetings include:

• Liaison with Cambridge Cancer Help Centre Manager; setting up meeting space; keeping a record of attendees; collection of contributions for tea and biscuits; introduction of speaker; leading on agenda items; facilitating discussion session; keeping notes of meeting; tidying up meeting space at end of session; booking speakers for meeting.
• Liaison with main MDS UK office to arrange for invites/minutes to be sent out to members.
• Liaison with local hospital and clinicians for participation in meetings (Main office can help, and John will hand over existing contacts)
• Liaison with other local cancer charities such as Cambridge Cancer Help Centre and MacMillans (John will make introductions).
• Checking emails sent to the angliagroup@mdspatientsupport.org.uk account and responding as appropriate.
• Passing general membership requests and resignations to main MDS UK office.

Please consider assisting – if only for the next few meetings – to ensure continuity of one of our longest established MDS UK groups.  Many thanks everyone.

Team MDS UK – Sophie, Mike, Chris
(seeking a new office manager soon – so spread the news if you know someone might be interested to work for us!)