Top Tip - Green Shoots

The daffs are out with snowdrops in the woods and tulips showing their heads, there's a year of colour, warmth and hope ahead. We've been busy in the allotment getting ready beds of onion sets, already on the way, and propagating seedlings for corn, beans, squashes and a monster pumpkin to rival our neighbour's village record 40lb'er. Having active daily things to do, however brief or small, is a great way to stay positive and feeling well. 

Later in the year I'll hopefully be sharing pics of outsized onions and maybe a massive prize-sized pumpkin or two, a Halloween showstopper, one can only imagine!

Round Up

(And not of the weed killer variety!) We again thank Dr Kerry Avery and Hollie Richards for presenting to us at our recent Zoom, their progress with the national ROSE project, aiming to tackle post surgery complications through online self assessment - an easy to use web based tool with great potential in other areas of cancer treatment. 

Kerry and Hollie are currently recruiting former patients having had an oesophagectomy to join their advisory group, to help steer and focus the project. If you're interested in joining in, please read more about the project here and drop Hollie a line at Hollie.Richards@bristol.ac.uk

Cracking Snacking

For your diary, our next zoom session will take place on Tuesday 21st March at 7pm. Former patients and OOSO supporters Kevin and Deborah will join us sharing tips and ideas, especially around conserving energy levels and avoiding those horrible 'dumping' episodes, whilst still being able to eat what we fancy. As Kevin very aptly coined the phrase 'cracking snacking' we hope to tickle your taste buds!

In advance of the meeting, we'd like to know your favourite meals and snacks too, adding to the mix of what could work for others - so please email us you suggestions here. 

If you are not already on our regular zoom invite list and would like to join us, simply drop me a line. We look forward to seeing you there!

Photo Competition

We've been running these for a few years now, providing a nice distraction capturing those bright and cheery or moody moments. So, why not email us 2-3 of your favourite pictures here, and we'll post them onto our gallery, towards a final judging date of May Day, Monday 1st of May. 

This year we'll have just one "anything goes" category, so your photos could be of anything or anyone, and taken at any time. We'll award the winner and two runners-up with a nice on-line prize of their choice. There's no rules and no fuss, just send us your picture that makes you happy!  

Above is a lovely view of Lake Louise in Banff National Park in the Rockies - thank you Susan!

Café Catch Up

And finally, don't forget, we have tables booked for lunch on Monday 20th March from 12:30 at Hilliers Garden Centre in Little Marlow.  Please come along, you'll find it relaxing, informative, fun and most of all, inspiring. So far there's 14 of us planning to be there with plenty of room for more - if you'd like to join us drop me a line here.