OUR NEXT MEETING IS AT 7:00 P.M., TUESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2004
"Radiation therapy for Prostate Cancer - New Approaches" by Dr. Padraig Warde, Associate Director Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital.
Much is being said about new radiation treatments for prostate cancer. Dr. Warde will discuss many of the exciting new approaches and leading edge breakthroughs offering hope and better outcomes.
More details of his talk are expected soon and will be posted on the web site as soon as they become available. Meantime get ready for another superb session.
We look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday, November the 9th.
Please send any questions for Dr. Warde to: Fred Norris, Chairman, (905) 877-8092 or e-mail fred.norris@ustoo-brampton.com.
We continue to meet in Room #2, The Terry Miller Recreation Center, 1295 Williams Parkway at the southwest corner of Williams Parkway & Bramalea Road. Parking is free.
 

OCTOBER 12, 2004 "Survivor's Night "
"Survivor's Night" was attended by around 60 members, wives and guests. You can call it 'Group Therapy' for that was what it really was! In the true spirit of caring, sharing and camaraderie, several members of our support group shared their experiences.
First to speak was Morris Rambout, who was followed by Jim Dorsey. Both Jim and Morris have been with us for many years and are well respected active members of this chapter. Each man recalled and shared his emotions and fears during the dark days following the initial diagnosis and described how our support group helped him maintain his sanity and return to a semblance of normal life (if there is ever such as thing! ).
Chairman Fred Norris then opened up the floor to the group and many members willingly came forth with their stories. Amongst the speaking members were Ken Gurnsey, Murray Laidlaw, Barbara Chamberlain (who spoke movingly on behalf of her husband John), Bob Vandrish and a visiting guest, Gavin Watt. All of our esteemed speakers openly shared their experiences, often traumatic, their emotions, the challenges they faced and how they coped. A variety of treatment were covered from individual perspectives. The session was very well received as evidenced by the audience's enthusiastic response to the evening.
The event was enjoyed immensely by all and any newly diagnosed members who might have been in the audience would surely have benefited from its encouraging content. The evening was a shining example of 'Sharing and Caring' - the support group living up to its role in every sense. Several members requested that we repeat this event on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, Mukul Luthra was out of the country, so this stimulating evening was not recorded for posterity. We will ensure that all future sessions are recorded. (Perhaps our backup Sound Engineer, Murray Laidlaw, could be drafted on future occasions!)
 

A Message from the Chair on Us Too! Brampton's Tenth Anniversary
In November of 1994, the urologists in Brampton invited all Prostate Cancer patients along with their spouses to attend a meeting in the Brampton Hospital Auditorium. From memory, well over 150 people responded.
The Moderator for the evening was Sandy Stevens R.N., who worked closely with the Urologists at the Hospital. Dr. Mojtaba Beheshti gave a slide projection of the male reproduction system explaining along the way the significance of the prostate. A follow up speaker for the evening was Norm Oman , a Winnipeger who formed the first prostate Support Group in Canada. His talk, along with the questions fired at Dr. Beheshti, resulted in 30 people coming forward and expressing their desire to form this Support Group.
Initially under the leadership of Tony Parker, we struggled to reach out and get new people to come to the meetings. Great support was forthcoming from the Doctors who continued to update us on the disease. At one point, two nurses, Sandy and Jackie Gray, stood alone in Bramalea City Centre approaching people with pamphlets making them aware of the disease!
Now Ten Years down the road we are a vibrant, active group with nearly 160 members who can take pride in the knowledge that some 400 men and their families have at one time or another received needed support from this group. We continue to enjoy good rapport with the medical profession with updates on new treatments and we continue to strive to make the public more aware of this disease and of the benefits of detecting it early.
In retrospect, we have come a long way since 1994 and I am proud that we as a group have helped so many along the way.
Chairman, Fred Norris, at (905) 877-8092 e-mail fred.norris@ustoo-brampton.com.

 

2004-2005 GUEST SPEAKERS
Our speakers and events for the remainder of the 2003 - 2004 season are:
Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - Our Christmas Social - Buffet Dinner, featuring the guitars of Bruce and Josh.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - Dr. S. D. Sehdev, Oncologist, will discuss the latest in chemotherapy treatment.
Tuesday, February 8, 2005 - Robert Bell, William Osler Health Center CEO, will speak on "The Hospitals - The Old and the New" (To be Confirmed)
We are actively seeking interesting speakers to fill the balance of our 2005 year. Your suggestions are always welcome!
Mukul Luthra, Speaker Committee, (519) 853-4075, e-mail mukul.luthra@ustoo-brampton.com

NEW MEMBER MEETINGS
New Member meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Suite 304, 57 Mill Street. The next scheduled meeting will be held between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23.
Please be sure to phone ahead to confirm your attendance and receive directions to the meeting. Please contact: Sean Butterly, Special Consultant at (905) 454-4237 or Chairman, Fred Norris, at (905) 877-8092 e-mail fred.norris@ustoo-brampton.com.

AWARENESS
On October 20th, the Peel Region held a series of health seminars for the general public at the Lester B. Pearson Convention center. Among these was a seminar on Prostate Cancer which drew some 70 - 80 attendees. The speaker on Prostate cancer was Dr. Thomas Short, Head Of Urology at Credit Valley Hospital.
Us Too! Brampton was the primary support group selected and invited to participate in the seminar. Fred Norris, Gerry Brunjes and Ian Smith represented our group. Our participation included a table top display of plaques, posters, brochures and other awareness materials to spread the message and instill the importance of early PSA testing. The group addressed many questions from the attendees as they stopped by the display area - just another endeavor to further the battle against Prostate cancer. We are also hoping that at a future date Dr. Tom Short might accept an invitation to speak at a general meeting.
We are honored for being selected and for the opportunity to participate. Us Too! Brampton gratefully acknowledges this effort by the Peel Region.
- Ian Smith, Awareness Coordinator, (905) 454-3880, or e-mail ian.smith@ustoo-brampton.com.

FINANCE
By the time that you read this Newsletter, our Theatre Night presentation of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" (Female Version) will have already occurred. We will advise the outcome at the November meeting.
My thanks in advance to all of you who will have helped to make this a successful fund raiser.
- Sincerely, Gerry Brunjes, Finance, (905) 791-3043, e-mail gerry.brunjes@ustoo-brampton.com.

US TOO! BRAMPTON 5th ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT, JUNE xx, 2005
As mentioned in last month's Newsletter. Peter Barhydt is carrying on as our Golf Convener for the 2005 Tournament and he is actively seeking volunteers. The first Golf Committee meeting is to be held on Thursday, November 4, so we will have more information in the December Newsletter.
Contact: Peter Barhydt: (905) 459-8516, peter.barhydt@ustoo-brampton.com OR Fred Norris: (905) 877-8092, fred.norris@ustoo-brampton.com.

CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE - www.ustoo-brampton.com
Besides maintaining the equipment used to make our meetings easier to hear and remember, Mukul Luthra, our Multimedia Specialist, continues to keep our web site up to date. Past events, coming events, links to other web sites, archives of past meetings and more can be found there.
You will also find numerous audio & video downloads of past presentations as well as Adobe Acrobat versions of various past speakers' slide presentations and other materials. Photos of events of interest to the group are constantly updated. Thanks, Mukul!
Contact Mukul Luthra, (519) 853-4075, e-mail mukul.luthra@ustoo-brampton.com.