Birmingham
Fifty nine people signed the register for the meeting held on the 28 November 2009. The speakers were very well received; Carole Ingham (BTF Bolton LC & Chair of the BTF Thyroid Cancer group) talked about her own experience with follicular thyroid cancer and her role within the BTF. Professor Jayne Franklyn, BTF trustee and president of the British Thyroid Association, gave a powerpoint presentation overview of thyroid disorders, their treatments and the role of iodine in our diets stressing the importance of not taking supplements such as kelp if you have a thyroid disorder. The majority of those who completed the evaluation form said they found the meeting useful and that an enjoyable part of the event was meeting other people they could relate to.
Our next meeting will take place on Saturday 12 June 2010 from 2pm to 4pm, at the Yardley Baptist Church, Rowlands Road, Birmingham B26 1AT (off the A45 Coventry Road). Free parking is available. The guest speaker is Dr Mark S Cooper who will talk about 'The links between blood results and symptoms'
If you have any queries please either call me on 0121 6287435 or email janetdmp@googlemail.com. - Janet
Bolton
We celebrated our 10th year by enjoying a wonderful talk given by Janis Hickey, followed by the cutting of a celebratory cake and much socialising by everyone who attended. Many thanks to all who have attended the Bolton Group over the last ten years, the many guest speakers and helpers who have all helped to make the group such a success.
My personal thanks go to the BTF for the lovely present of a rose bush ('Special Anniversary') and certificate which was a very pleasant and unexpected gift.
The group would also like to thank St Anne's Flower Festival, Chapeltown, Turton for their generous donation of £250 towards the Bolton Group's funds.
The next meeting will be held on Saturday 13 March
2010, 10am until 12 noon in The Barlow Institute, Bolton Road, Edgworth
when the guest speaker will be BTF trustee, Dr Grace Gibson, GP and thyroid
patient.
We also plan to hold a meetings on the following Saturdays in 2010: 12 June and 13 November. The speakers are yet to be confirmed.
All meetings are held 10am - 12 noon at the Barlow Institute, Bolton Road, Edgworth, Bolton. A donation of £1 per person is suggested to help cover costs for room hire and refreshments.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further information or if you feel you may be able to offer your help at future meetings. Carole: 01204 853557; email inghamcaz@aol.com
Durham
The first meeting of the local BTF Durham group will take place at 12 noon on Saturday 20 March 2010 at Durham County Hall in Committee Room 2. I would be grateful if you could confirm your attendance at the meeting by 10 March 2010 and let me know of any issues that you wish to add on to the agenda for that meeting by emailing me or telephoning or leaving a message - Jennifer: 0191 569 3578; email jennclaire@hotmail.co.uk
Edinburgh
The Edinburgh group continues to meet on the last Tuesday of every month (except during school holidays) at 7.15 pm in Liberton High School, Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, EH17 7PT.
At the meeting in November we were very pleased to have Clare Keenan, community dietician, as our guest speaker. Clare spoke about the importance of a healthy, well balanced diet for people who have thyroid disorders and distributed booklets on 'Eating for Health" and "Active Living: Help Yourself To Lose Weight'.
We hope to have Dr Mark Strachan, a new member of the BTF Board of Trustees, who is an endocrinologist based at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital, to speak at a meeting in the near future. If you would like further information, and to be put on the mailing list, or would like to help with the group, please contact me: Margaret: 0131 664 7223.
Hereford
Our meetings will take place on every third Thursday, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Point4, Venns Lane, Hereford HR1 1EB. Our first meeting in 2010 will be on 21 January . Please call me for further information - Denise: 01432 271561.
Liverpool
I am still recovering from my back operation that I had earlier in the year, and as yet am not fully recovered. I am keen to organise a meeting as soon as I am back to full health.... so watch this space! - Sue: 0151 4748884 or email sbrownlee@ukonline.co.uk.
Manchester/Salford
I am now planning meetings for 2010 and would love to hear from local people who are interested in attending. The next planned date is Tuesday 23 March Sacred Trinity Church, Chapel Street, Salford M3 5DW, from 7-9pm. The speaker will be Dr Helen Doran, a thyroid surgeon from Salford Royal Hospital who will speak about thyroid surgery. There will be further meetings in June, September and December 2010 - watch this space for more info, or better still, come along in March and see what we are all about!
Please keep checking the BTF website for updates, and feel free to contact me for further information: email nia2311@aol.com. I am available after 6 pm on 01942 819195 - Nia
Milton Keynes
We had almost 60 guests at our Information Event on Saturday 5 December who enjoyed some mince pies with their refreshments before our two guest speakers' presentations. April Tarabella, a local Pilates Instructor, led us in a very lively and active exercise session, which provided some useful guidelines into keeping ourselves active through armchair exercises.
Following on, Sheila Sheppard, Nutritional Therapist, talked about the benefits
of a good diet that will help to achieve better health and vitality. Both sessions
provoked a healthy debate and interaction from the audience.
If you need further information please ring my deputy co-ordinator, Brenda: 01908 502214, email 2-jenners@tiscali.co.uk or see our local group's website www.thyroidmk.co.uk - Wilma
Newcastle & North Tyneside
Our meetings for 2010 take place on Saturdays from 10am to12 noon on 27 February, 22 May and 25 September in the City Library, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle - please note the new venue and time! Minimum suggested entrance donation: £2.
At the February meeting, David Morning,
Senior Lecturer in mental health nursing at Northumbria University, will speak
about mental health effects of long-term health conditions. Please contact me
to reserve your place.
If you wish to receive information about future meetings please
contact me on 0191 2531765 or email judith@dryhurst.co.uk
- Judith.
Oxford
We had a most interesting meeting on 24 November 24 when Dr Bass, a psychiatrist whose specialty is 'Unexplained Symptoms' came to speak to us about Mental Confusion in Thyroid Patients. His opening statement was that he knew nothing whatsoever about thyroid problems, would we tell him? So we did. Our members have had a wide range of problems so he got a good overall view of the two conditions, hyper- and hypothyroidism.
We will have two meetings in the Spring: an informal meeting in February
to discuss mutual problems, exchange tips and ideas and further discuss the
mental aspect of thyroid disorders. At a meeting in April
there will be a physiotherapist to advise on coping with all those muscular
aches and joint pains we seem to suffer from.
For information please contact me: 01235 832696 or email lesleylovell68@ntlworld.com - Lesley