GREATMidlandsFun Run2012The sun shone down onour Great Midlands FunRunners on Sunday10th June. The ‘BreastFriends Team’ consistedof around 135 people…our biggest team todate! As usual, the atmosphere in Sutton wasfantastic as 7000 entrants filled The Parade atthe start of the 8.5 mile route and supporterslined the route all the way. Whether walking,jogging or running, every single one of the teamdid us proud.Along with members, supporters and theirfamilies and friends, the team was made up ofhairdressers from Michele Louise Salon inRectory Road and nurses from Ward 26 at GoodHope. There was also a large team from ‘FitCamp UK’ which is based in Tamworth, who ranwith and in support of Julie Stubbs, a member ofthe club who has recently been diagnosed and ishaving treatment for breast cancer. Also with a team of 50 plus were ‘Team Maria’who took part in memory of the wonderful MariaSimmonite, who sadly lost her brave battle withbreast cancer last year. Her husband Adrian, herchildren Matthew and Olivia and her family andfriends all joined together for Breast Friends, withgrateful thanks for the help we were able to giveto Maria when she needed it.

Thank you somuch toeveryone whotook partincluding NitaHunter and JoDaly who wereon duty at the‘Bottle of Sack’ to get a well-earned drink in foreveryone at the finish, and Yvonne Kelly who washead cheerleader waving her pink feather boa atstrategic points along the route!We really do hope to see you all again nextyear…Sunday 2nd June 2013!

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Great news…Sainsbury’s in MereGreen have chosenBreast Friends as their‘Charity of the Year’ andwe look forward toworking with the staff atthe store to do all we

can to try and raisefunds and awarenessover the next 12 months.We would like to appeal forvolunteers who may be willingto give us a couple of hours tohelp with collection days andalso bag packing and flowerwrapping. Perhaps you mayhave children/grandchildren

who would be able to help us in the school

holidays to do some bagpacking. If you can help,please call Jackie on 0121378 3037 and give your nameand contact details we can letyou know when we arrangedates.

Nicci’s Marathon Effort!Well done and a massive thank you to Nicci Patstone.She raised £1,321 in sponsorship for Breast Friends whenshe completed the London Marathon back in April.

Here she is pictured looking great, about a mile from the finishline...just brilliant!

Support Breast Friends

Members of BreastFriends Committee

Team Maria

Good Hope nurses

Don MacleanHonouredOn May 26th, committee members were invited tothe Church of Our Lady of the Wayside in Solihullby Breast Friends patron and supporter DonMaclean to attend his investiture as Papal Knightof the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Pope StSylvester. This is the highest honour that can begiven to a layman from the Vatican. More than 400 people, including fellow comedianJasper Carrott, attended the service. During theMass, he was presented with the order's sword by theRoman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, the MostReverend Bernard Longley. Press Secretary to the Archdiocese of Birmingham,said: "The award is conferred on men who are activelyinvolved in the life of the Catholic Church, particularly

those who have used their profession to further theCatholic Faith." Breast Friends would like to offer their sincerecongratulations to Don, he has supported our charityfor many years and we are very pleased that he hasbeen honoured in this way for the work he does forours and many other deserving causes.

Remembering Angela

Members of the Land Rover, Solihull work forceand the family and friends of Angela Harper, alovely lady who sadly recently lost her battlewith breast cancer, came along to the OncologyDept. at Good Hope Hospital recently to make adonation of £1000 to Breast Friends.

Angela was treated at Good Hope and herfriends and family wanted to thank the staff andthe Breast Friends Charity for all the supportand help Angela received. This was the seconddonation made by the Land Rover CharityCommittee and was truly very much appreciated.

‘Diamonds & Tiaras’ Charity BallLadies and Gentlemen… Breast Friends will be hosting ourcharity ball on Saturday 6th October at the Tower Suite,Drayton Manor.

This promises to be a really fabulous occasion with a ‘Diamonds and Tiaras’theme. There will be a reception drink and three course dinner and coffee.Entertainment will be provided by Nigel John’s tribute to Sir Elton John, with discodancing till late.

Please put on your sparkle and bling and join us for some serious ‘CrocodileRock!’ Tickets are £40 each and there has already been a lot of interest, soplease don’t be disappointed, reserve your tickets as soon as possible. Tel Jackie - 0121 378 3037 or Gill - 0121 350 0615

The Breast Friends Charity continues to meet its objectivesto provide ongoing direct practical help and emotionalsupport to breast cancer patients and to promote awareness.We work closely with local health professionals who highlightpatients in need of our help.

The charity’s sub groups continue to offer specific help

Lotus Group – provides help and support to patients whosecancer has returned. the group meets once a month withhealth professionals present

Pink Orchids- provides help and support to younger women

Pink Peonies- provides Tamworth patients with a meetingpoint and help and support.

The main group continues to meet most months at GoodHope Hospital

We provide chemotherapy patients with monthly make-upworkshops, where they can learn how to compensate for theloss of eye brows and eye lashes using hospital approvedmake up. The charity also provides each patient with asupply of the make up used at the workshop to take away.

Members of the committee continue to promote breastawareness by giving talks and our aims and objectives arefeatured on our web site and on facebook. We continue tosend out regular newsletters to our members letting themknow about future events and services. Our currentnewsletter is also accessible through our web-site

Breast Friends continues to offer, free of charge, ongoingpractical support. Health professionals refer patients in needof :-small grants, home help, door to door laundry service,childcare, gardening, the provision of an electrically operatedriser/recliner chair, a wheelchair, a mobility scooter, a rentedstair lift, a pamper afternoon or make up workshop. We aimto improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients in anyway we can particularly the very seriously ill.

Although receipts from fund raising and donations increasedby 4.5% over the previous year our outgoing commitmentsescalated by a massive 21% culminating in the charityneeding to use £16,500 of our reserve funds. This figurerepresents approx 15% of our reserve capital and highlightsthe need to escalate our fund raising if we are to continue tooffer the ongoing practical support we have given to date.The local community has continued to support our charity butunfortunately costs have increased as more breast cancerpatients are in need of our help.

Our main aim in the coming year will be to increase ourfund raising efforts and hope that the wonderful supportfrom the local community will continue.

Jackie Benzecry, Chairman, Breast Friends, SuttonColdfield

DIARY DATESMonday 30th July 7.30pm Breast Friends AGM at the PartnershipLearning Centre at Good Hope. We hope to seeas many of our members as possible, andwelcome consultant plastic surgeon Mr Khalil asour guest speaker.

NO MEETING IN AUGUST

Friday 14th – Monday 17th SeptemberWarners Weekend

Monday 24th September – General Meeting inthe Partnership Learning Centre, Good Hope at7.30pm. Guest speaker will be from theLymphoedema Clinic at Whittington.

Saturday 6th October 2012Breast Friends Diamonds & Tiaras BallFeaturing Nigel John’s Tribute to Sir Elton John Plus DiscoReception 7.00p.m. Dinner 7.30p.m.Tickets £40.00

Wednesday 24th October‘Newlife’ Fashion and accessories sale at theLakeside Suite at Ramada Hotel, 5.30pm to9.30pm. Tickets £15 each, to include a 2 coursesupper.

Monday 29th October - General Meeting in thePartnership Learning Centre, Good Hope at7.30pm. Toms Fashion Bargains

Saturday 17th November – Motown evening atRamada Hotel with 3 course meal. Tickets £35each.

Sunday 9th December – Members’ Christmas

Party at Moor Hall.

Contact Jackie on 0121 378 3037 Gill on 0121 350 0615 for tickets

Thank You JeannieBreast Friends would like to thank our good friendJeannie Jones, who has decided to step down from ourcommittee. Jeannie has been an honorary member ofBreast Friends for a good many years and has given a lotof time and support to the group, along with a lot offundraising. She has also been very successfully runningthe ‘healing clinic’ at Good Hope since 2008.

Jeannie and Carol will continue to provide the healingsessions for cancer patients, which have been verybeneficial and relaxing for many Breast Friends memberswho have experienced them. Sincere thanks to Jeanniefor all of her hard work, support and generosity.

BREAST FRIENDS SUTTON COLDFIELD TRUSTEES REPORTYEAR END 30TH APRIL 2012

DollyRaisesSomeDosh!Breast Friendsrecently hosted afantastic ‘Countryand Western’themed eveningwith a Tribute toDolly Parton at theRamada ‘Ranch’,Penns Lane.

Everyone enjoyed dressing up incowboy hats and boots, even thehotel staff looked the part! ‘Dolly’was just amazing, and thanks toour generous, guests, we raised£1676 with a little help from LloydsBank fund matching scheme.Yeeee haaaww!!!

Breast Friends would like to appealto members and their friends and families who work at banks orbuilding societies that offer ‘fundmatching’ schemes. Please get in touch, as you may be able to helpus to boost the total money weraise at our fund raising events.Please call Jackie on 0121 3783037 if you can help.

DonationsA big thank you to the many supporters whodonated and raised much needed funds forBreast FriendslPAT CHARLTON & PROVINCIAL GRANDLODGE OF WARWICKSHIRE lJOHN BENZECRYlSANDY DINNES ESSO PETROLEUMCOMPANY BIRMINGHAM TERMINALlSTAFF OF LITTLE SUTTON PRIMARYSCHOOL IN LIEU OF GIFTS & CARDS FORCOLLEAGUES AT CHRISTMASlLESLEY HILTON IN LIEU OFCHRISTMAS CARDSl BOBBIE BATTISSONl JENNY SANKEYlORION LODGE NO 4993l ROGER TAYLORl OOH LA LA! HAIR BOUTIQUEl ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLICTECHNICAL COLLEGE £674.52l EILEEN O’CONNORl IRIS HEATHERINGTON 80TH BIRTHDAYl ALEC LAIDLER lJ ALLENl J SHARPElJANET DIAMONDl F DUKES GREENl ST MARY’S LODGEl IMO BARBARA TURNERl IMO SYLVIA ABBOTTl LANDROVER & FAMILY & FRIENDS IMOANGELA HARPER l IMO PAUL DENNIS

FUND RAISERSlYVONNE BARRACLOUGH POKERNIGHTl NITA HUNTER’S FUND RAISINGDINNER PARTYl DAN GALLAGHER BIRMINGHAM HALFMARATHON IMO MARIA SIMMONITElTREMBLERS II BAND LIVE MUSICEVENING GARY KING RAISED £1000.00lANN & BOB SCOTT BURNS EVENINGlCONCERT PERFORMED BY THESECOND CITY SOUND CHOIRl BOLDMERE JUNIOR SCHOOL CAKESALE STEPHANIE MASSEY & FRIENDSl RAINBOW GREETINGSl PARACHUTE JUMP FAMILY & STAFFMOOR HALL HOTEL £1000l N PATSTONE RAN LONDONMARATHON

Helpline Numbers: 0121 424 9054 & 0121 442 9490

www.breastfriends.org.uk

ContactSue Mills 28 Withy Hill RoadSUTTON COLDFIELDWest Midlands B75 6HS

Tel: 0121 329 3600

e-mail: sue-mills@blueyonder.co.uk

Join our Facebook Group

‘Breast Friends Sutton

Coldfield and Tamworth’

The recent charity lunch and fashionshow held at Fairlawns Hotel inAldridge, was quite simply awonderful afternoon. We would liketo give our thanks to John Pette andhis staff at Fairlawns for making itsuch a lovely occasion.Our stunningBreast Friends members modelled‘Garden Party’ and ‘CocktailGlamour’ outfits supplied by the‘New Life Foundation’ which

supports disabled children.

Breast Friends raised £1500 fromticket sales and raffle, and New Liferaised £2,200 from sales of theirclothing, shoes, bags and jewelleryon the day. So all in all, a fantasticresult for both charities... Well doneand thank you to all our gorgeousmodels and all who came along andso generously supported the event.

Fairlawns Fashion Show