Dear FOPS and Friends of the FOPS,??

2011 has been a rather eventful year. Due to the kindness of Arthur the owner of the Bedford Arms, whose twin brother passed away in his seventies from prostate cancer complications, we have continued to hold our monthly Council Meetings in the Chess Room at the Bedford Arms, Chenies. In January we were soon made aware of our responsibilities to those sufferers whom we were keen to befriend by Elizabeth Martindale a charismatic experienced teacher from Macmillan who trained us to deal with those coming to terms with this pernicious and frightening cancer.

From out of nowhere Mick Flinn suggested that in May he could organise a four ball Golf Tournament at the prestigious Pinner Hill Golf Club followed by a Dinner in the evening. We all thanked him and accepted his kind offer with alacrity. And so it came to pass on Friday 20th May that sixteen four ball FOPS inspired teams hacked and/or played their ways around this charmingly scenic yet challenging course. The Dinner in the evening was very special. No trouble had been spared, the best white linen and table decorations were laid out for us to enjoy a delicious three course meal. Mick then stood up and thanked the large audience of players and partners and related the FOPS aims of raising awareness and helping sufferers to fight prostate cancer. He encouraged an ‘a capello’ version of the Dr song and the audience all applauded, apart from one young man quietly tearful - as his father had just died from the cancer…. On parting, after a most successful day our bank account had risen from a couple of hundred to over three thousand pounds thanks to Mick and his initiative and expertise.

Then came June and the hugely successful Prostate Roadshow where we were able to demonstrate our awareness campaign to the 200 audience in the haunted Chorleywood Memorial Hall, having saturated the local papers and shop windows pubs and clubs with our posters. Some 150 men gave blood samples which were then assayed for PSA content by the Graham Fulford Trust - the FOPS supplying the Phlebotomists. David Baxter Smith a consulting Urologist works with Graham Fulford and David wrote an explanatory letter to every man tested and gave his telephone number to those with 'high' psa scores. David's letter to us breaking down these results is below:-

Dear Bob,

I have now posted the Chorleywood results.

There were 149 of which there were 133 "Greens", 5 "Ambers" and 11 "Reds".

Ages:

30 - 34...............1
35 - 39...............1
40 - 44...............1
45 - 49...............3
50 - 54.............25
55 - 59.............24
60 - 64.............37
65 - 69.............30
70 - 74.............14
75 - 79...............7
80 - 84...............6

Total.......149

Geography:

Chorleywood.................64
Rickmansworth..............19
Uxbridge.........................9
Ruislip............................5
West Drayton..................5
Chalfont..........................5
London...........................4
Harrow...........................4
Watford..........................4
Eastcote.........................3
Amersham......................3
Kings Langley.................3
Northwood.....................2
Iver...............................2
Chesham.......................2
Berkhampstead..............1
Pinner............................1
Frogmore.......................1
Wembley.......................1
Lower Brickhill...............1
Povingdon.....................1
Axbridge (Somerset).....1
Welwyn........................1
Ickenham.....................1
Kingston-on-Thames.....1
Chipperfield.................1
Hemel Hempstead........1
Latimer........................1
Yateley........................1
Bushey.........................1

Total 149

Ages of "Reds": 58, 68, 74, 67, 75, 67, 56, 59, 67, 63, 66.

We then became involved in using the new Bioscanners - a way of getting a PSA result in 15 mins.... Well the cognescenti - comme moi - used to yearly test themselves using a £15 self tester available from larger pharmacies. Basically involves pricking a finger and placing blood obtained onto a chromatographic strip. Leave for ten minutes and look at the positon of a 'line' on the strip which equates to a PSA value. Well the Graham Fulford Trust has purchased Bioscanners and now the FOPS have five of them on a long loan, which is incredibly generous of the Fulford Trust whom we thank. The FOPS had been talking to the three Pharmacists in Chorleywood and we now uniquely have scored a 'first' in having the Bioscanners installed in our two Chorleywood Pharmacies and Bioscanner PSA testing already under way with the help of David Baxter Smith who has generously agreed to advise any of our clients with raised PSA values. We are happy to state that all three Pharmacists are now Council Members and have been keen supporters of our causes to help sufferers overcome the grief and to raise awareness of the dangers of untreated Tiger Prostate Cancer.

It was in the autumn that we encouraged our few 'Members' (we need literature - forms and pamphlets would be good - and a dedicated membership secretary even better), to attend pre-Council sessions from 7.30 till 8.00pm Aiden OBrien and Peter Bailey have subsequently attended all meetings and were recently appointed as FOPS Councillors (so no three strikes and you're out for them then) and Peter is our new Minutes Secretary and I thank and welcome them both into our Magic Circle.

Then we all calmed down from the giddy heights untiil Bob met Janet Seidel and Chuck Morgan in the Rose and Crown. They got talking and one thing led to another and on Monday 7th November the world renowned brilliant Aussie Janet Seidel Jazz Trio played to a capacity overfull Memorial Hall audience who wanted encore after encore - mind you they'd had to listen to the FOPS singing in the first half... Vartan shone though as did Ian Senior with their accomplished solo playing - but to be fair Jim, Jumping Jools and even Bobbo rose to the occasion and did alright on the night, but then we had brilliant support from Pete Lennon on guitar and his friends as well as Bob Visser lighting supremo and our Peter Sandison who masterminded the sound production

A few days later we were at the prestigious Oshwal Centre, set in 80 acres at Northaw, on Armistice Day the Sunday the 13th of November. The Jains brilliantly organised the Oshwal Health Awareness Day and apart from Prostates, there were presentations about Heallthy Hearts and Lungs, Diabetes, Strokes and testing stations for cholesterol and blood pressure with over 3000 visitors taking part. Our presentation was reckoned to be one of the most popular with a very nice letter from Sandip Haria the Event Coordinator wrote:-

'The event was well attended and we have been overwhelmed byt the positive feedback we have received. Your interactive and entertaining session was very well received indeed - the marquee was overflowing with members of the audience having to stand outside'

To listen and see Alvan singing the chorus of Dr Dr with Jools on Banjo and Bobbo on guitar....!!

So that's that then - end of year approaching and we look forward to furthering our aims of support and awareness in 2012.... Well Yes and No

Yes because this Annual Report is a tad long but no because a most fascinating event happened on Christmas Eve. I found a message on my telephone asking me to call a Chorleywood man I know but couldn't for the life of me work out why he wanted me to phone him. I did and he sounded very tense though he had found Jim's telephone number from our web site and they had already talked earlier that day, he explained how helpful Jim had been at getting him over the shock of a 112 and 119 pair of PSA values that had stopped him sleeping and he been reckoning he may not live to see this New Years day. Not only is he still alive he's back at work and he sent me a text earlier today saying 'Happy New Year - thought for the day- The most wasted of all days is one without laughter....Wow and Wow and Wow again David Cottingham and Phil Nesbitt to name but two local FOPS who have counselled Dennis as well as Derek Towner in Cyprus. This is what being a FOPS is all about ...Remember the Good Samaritan...

Nearly the end now......

Just try this link and see if the message resonates for you as it does for me http://www.andiesisle.com/ThisBlessingIsForYou.html

Have a Joyous 2012 andRemember to laugh during each day

Bobbo