Dance Update!!!
Now we’ve had time to count it all up I can announce that we made a fabulous £800 from the Dance at the Bridgend Tennis Club last week!
A very big thank you again to Richard Logan for organising it for Skin Care Cymru and his amazing band Tinnitus for entertaining us so well.
Also I must thank everyone who donated raffle prizes and a special thanks to Sarah Griffiths-Little who persuaded her colleagues at work to take part in a Dress Down Day and gave us a lovely £100 cheque.
Oh What A Night!!!
What a brilliant night we all had last Friday at the Bridgend Tennis Club where Richard Logan and his band Tinnitus entertained at our latest fund-raiser.
Nearly 80 guests including many from the dermatology world, patient support groups and many friends of Skin Care Cymru danced and sang the night away. Tinnitus were excellent with their unique line-up of banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass and accordion. Richard on accordion is centre in the picture below.
We raised a good sum, made new friends and had lots of fun!
First meeting of the Cross Party Group on skin
What a fantastic evening for the first meeting of the Cross Party Group on Skin held in Ty Hywel of the Cardiff Assembly.
Nick Ramsay AM chaired the group which brought together some of the leading names in dermatology and plastic surgery, as well as representatives from patient groups and Welsh Government.
The meeting started with introductions from around the room – a veritable “Who’s Who” in dermatology in Wales, index,followed by a brief presentation of the proceedings from Nick Ramsay. The meeting then continued with presentations from the group.
Firstly, Sarah Wright from Skin Care Cymru and Dr Hayley Hutchings presented State of the Nation – a report on the scoping research in Wales. This research is collecting evidence from all the Health Boards around Wales on dermatology services provided and the experience of patients. This ongoing research will be completed by the end of the month and a full report given then.
Girish Patel, Consultant Dermatologist at Hywel Dda and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, reported on the problems faced every day by his very small team in Hywel Dda and his creative plans to redesign the patients’ experience and pathways of care to cope with the volume.
The Consultant Plastic Surgeon Max Murison then gave an enthralling presentation on Laser Treatment of Scarring, illustrated with many amazing “before and after “photographs of patients who have received this innovative treatment.
Next, Jenny Hill, Chair of the Dermatology Council for Wales, gave a brief overview of the organisation and merit of the Welsh Forum and the regular meetings held, where individuals from all groups involved in dermatology meet and discuss current issues.
Lastly, Caroline Lewis – Policy Manager of the Major Welsh Conditions Team – updated the group on Welsh Government policies.
The meeting ended with Nick Ramsay summing up what we all present thought – what an amazing gathering together of expert knowledge, and a keen hope that we can go forward to make a difference to patients in Wales. The next meeting will be the AGM in January which we very much look forward to.
Get tickets now for the Dinner and Dance!
The next fund-raising event for Skin Care Cymru will be a fun night at Bridgend Tennis Club – be there or be square!!!!!
The Dance and Buffet is on Friday 23rd October with entertainment from the band Tinnitus. Tickets at £10 only are on sale for a very limited time.
Come along and support us – contact 01656 752106 for your tickets.
Running the Cardiff Half-Marathon for Skin Care Cymru!
This year we have a number of keen index,followers who are running the Cardiff Half-Marathon on October 4th to support Skin Care Cymru.
Marcus Davies is a Vilitilgo sufferer from Aberdare who is still running after completing the London Marathon & Swansea Half Marathon earlier this year to raise valuable funds for research in to skin disease. Marcus wants to raise awareness of his condition and hopes to send out a message that’s it’s ok to be different, it’s what’s inside that counts.
Kelly Morgan is a public health researcher at Cardiff University, specialising in multiple areas including child obesity prevention and the promotion of physical activity. She has chosen Skin Care Cymru as her charity for the Cardiff Half Marathon 2015 in memory of her Uncle, Brian Eadon, who she lost to Skin Cancer 4 years ago. She believes the work Skin Care Cymru carries out is invaluable to individuals like her uncle, heightening the awareness of skin conditions which could be preventable. Kelly says ” I’m very excited to wear the Skin Care Cymru vest amongst the thousands of runners in our city and raise funds to help make a difference.”
Lloyd Evans is our 3rd runner and this is what he had to say –
“I work as a Welsh translator for Swansea Council. I’ve run 10k several times over the past few years and more experienced runners than me have suggested I should try a half marathon. So here I am, finally attempting this distance for the first time (and quite possibly the last). I’ve chosen to raise money for Skin Care Cymru to raise awareness of this great charity and the good work it does throughout the year to prevent and treat skin related conditions and help those in Wales suffering from skin disease and skin cancer etc.
Dw i’n gweithio fel cyfieithydd Cymraeg i Gyngor Abertawe. Dw i wedi rhedeg 10k sawl gwaith dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf ac mae rhedwyr mwy profiadol na fi wedi awgrymu y dylwn i roi cynnig ar hanner marathon. Felly dyma fi, o’r diwedd yn rhoi cynnig ar y pellter yma am y tro cyntaf (ac yn ddigon posibl yr olaf). Dw i wedi dewis codi arian dros Skin Care Cymru i godi ymwybyddiaeth o’r elusen wych hon a’r gwaith da mae’n ei wneud trwy gydol y flwyddyn i atal a thrin cyflyrau sy’n ymwneud â chroen a helpu pobl yng Nghymru sy’n dioddef o glefyd y croen a chanser y croen ac ati.”
If you would like to support our runners, you can donate by texting: SKIN00 index,followed by £10 (insert how much here, eg. £1, £2, £5……etc) and send to 70070. Thank you and our runners for your support!!
CROSS PARTY GROUP ON SKIN
THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE CROSS PARTY GROUP ON SKIN WILL TAKE PLACE ON 14TH OCTOBER 2015 5.50PM – 7PM
Please e-mail us at [email protected] for more information and to register your attendance. Only registered parties will be able to attend this group meeting.
Great Day for Skin Care Cymru at the National Assembly
Last Wednesday at the Welsh Assembly , dermatology was firmly on the Welsh map and national agenda. AM Nick Ramsay used the short debate procedure to highlight the issues that we at Skin Care Cymru have been trying to advance over the last year.
Nick set out Skin Care Cymru ‘s vision for psychosocial provision, greater education for medical students and GPs in Wales and the need to change the Cinderella status of skin care in Wales. He also told his fellow AMs about Sarah Wright’s scoping project and the benefit this will bring across the country. And he urged his colleagues to join the new All Party Group on skin.
Kirsty Williams made a pertinent point about funding of the new skin cancer medicines, asking for a commitment from WAG to do so. Rounding off a very important evening for Skin Care Cymru, the Deputy Health Minister, Vaughan Gething responded very positively and encouragingly about the matters raised and acknowledged the efforts and aspirations of Skin Care Cymru in these areas.
Skin Care Cymru’s aims include the need to advance the cause of dermatology in Wales and move it up the health agenda. We succeeded spectacularly in that last week!!.
Great Day at the Ichthyosis Family Day in Cardiff!!
Skin Care Cymru was delighted to support the Ichthyosis Support Group’s Family Day at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff this weekend. A great event offering support, education and information to families and individuals living with Ichthyosis.
Pictured are Rose Bell from Skin Care Cymru and Sarah Griffiths-Little from the Ichthyosis Support group Charity. Sarah has taken part in recording her experiences for our Patient Stories page. Click on the link below to hear her story.
Do you know the signs of Skin Cancer???
A survey carried out by the British Association of Dermatologists shows that most Britons are not aware of the signs of skin cancer.
Follow the BBC link below to find out more about the story and know what signs to look for!
Most Britons unaware of skin cancer signs – survey