Tuesday 27 December 2011
one stomp at a time: It starts...
one stomp at a time: It starts...: Hi. I'm Rosie, I'm 20, I'm a law student at Kings College London, and my Granddad died of pancreatic cancer in November. A shocking start,...
Sunday 25 December 2011
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas. Today was not a good day. My dad was present at the table in our thoughts but obviously not there in the flesh. RIP Dad x x x
Friday 23 December 2011
Improve Early Detection and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer - e-petition
Almost 97% of people diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer die within 5 years. 22 people a day die from Pancreatic cancer. Earlier, clearer diagnosis would reduce this [1].
This is a campaign for better awareness of Pancreatic Cancer, not just today, not just in November 2011 which was Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, but until the detection and survival rate for this disease is improved.
Pancreatic cancer could be termed 'The Hidden Killer'. Many of its symptoms mirror other less critical illnesses and therefore GPs often do not realise their significance [2]. Other possible causes for symptoms include Jaundice, Diabetes, Gall Stones or back problems. Time can be lost before the correct diagnosis is reached, by which time it can be too late.
THIS SITUATION CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.
Before you dismiss this please read the symptoms [2]. If you have any of these, it probably isn't Pancreatic cancer…but then again it might just be. Pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment is a lottery. It could affect you or someone you love.
There needs to be a significant improvement in funding for the training of GPs and for rapid diagnosis. This should not be taken from other parts of the NHS but be new and ring-fenced money.
We need better Pancreatic cancer diagnosis NOW. Please sign the e-petition at
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22411
[1] Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in the UK. Pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate of all cancers. 5-year survival is only 3%. This figure has not changed in over 40 years while deaths from many other cancers declined.
[2] Symptoms include jaundice, significant unexplained weight loss, persistent abdominal pain, pain in the upper abdomen and back, new-onset diabetes without with weight gain, vague dyspepsia or abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, pain when eating, depression. GPs may first look at other possible causes for these symptoms resuting in time being lost before the correct diagnosis is reached. By this time it can be too late to save the patient.
This is a campaign for better awareness of Pancreatic Cancer, not just today, not just in November 2011 which was Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, but until the detection and survival rate for this disease is improved.
Pancreatic cancer could be termed 'The Hidden Killer'. Many of its symptoms mirror other less critical illnesses and therefore GPs often do not realise their significance [2]. Other possible causes for symptoms include Jaundice, Diabetes, Gall Stones or back problems. Time can be lost before the correct diagnosis is reached, by which time it can be too late.
THIS SITUATION CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.
Before you dismiss this please read the symptoms [2]. If you have any of these, it probably isn't Pancreatic cancer…but then again it might just be. Pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment is a lottery. It could affect you or someone you love.
There needs to be a significant improvement in funding for the training of GPs and for rapid diagnosis. This should not be taken from other parts of the NHS but be new and ring-fenced money.
We need better Pancreatic cancer diagnosis NOW. Please sign the e-petition at
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22411
[1] Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in the UK. Pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate of all cancers. 5-year survival is only 3%. This figure has not changed in over 40 years while deaths from many other cancers declined.
[2] Symptoms include jaundice, significant unexplained weight loss, persistent abdominal pain, pain in the upper abdomen and back, new-onset diabetes without with weight gain, vague dyspepsia or abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, pain when eating, depression. GPs may first look at other possible causes for these symptoms resuting in time being lost before the correct diagnosis is reached. By this time it can be too late to save the patient.
Thursday 15 December 2011
Stephen Allison - Master of Arts
I had a letter in the Hartlepool Mail tonight,
Dear Editor,
Hartlepool has had a Labour MP since1945, except for1959 when Commander Kerans took Hartlepool for the Conservatives for a single term. The same applies to the council, apart from a short period when a Conservative/Liberal Alliance held a majority, Hartlepool Council has been dominated by Labour.
So has this loyalty to Labour brought Hartlepool economical success, employment and well paid jobs? Unfortunately not.
In 2010, while the Tall Ships were in town, the office of national statistics reported 25% of working age people in Hartlepool were in receipt of benefits. Compare that to 20% in the North East and 15% in England overall.
Has this loyalty to the Labour Party brought improved health and life expectancy? Unfortunately Not!
The Public Health Observatory reported in 2005 that life expectancy of Hartlepool's women was the LOWEST in the country. Fifty years ago Hartlepool has five hospitals, including a specialist maternity hospital. Today it has one hospital and that is unlikely to survive much longer.
So what has loyalty to Labour brought Hartlepool? It has brought Hartlepool almost to its knees.
Many people are proud they vote labour. Ask them why? Often they don't have an answer other than “Always have, always will” Maybe it's time to start looking for a better reason than that?
We have 60 years of neglect to combat. Sixty years of labour taking the town for granted and 60 years of party political point scoring being more important than really getting things done.
In May 2012 let's start the fight back. Let's ditch the national political parties. Let's all put Hartlepool first.
Stephen Allison
13 Beaconsfield Square
Hartlepool
Of course one of the usual suspects couldn't wait to point out the use of the Beaconsfield Square address and the fact that there is an election coming. So I suppose it's about time for them to start up the "Where does Stephen Allison live?" debate again. If I am sat in my office in the top floor of Beaconsfield Square when I'm doing something then that's the address I use. Typically when I am at Beaconsfield Square its to do with work or council business. If I'm sat in my study at Hurworth Burn when I'm doing something, then that's the address I use. Typically that will be more personal stuff. If I send something from a train then the address on the bottom will be "Sent from my Blackberry" It all depends upon where I am at the time and which hat I'm wearing. When Hartlepool Council write to me, which they do quite frequently, then they send the correspondence to Beaconsfield Square. If Sedgefield Council want to write to me, which they about once a blue moon, then they use Hurworth Burn. If anyone really cares I'm writing this from Hurworth Burn.
PS My first ever letter to the Hartlepool Mail back in 1986 was on almost the same subject! That the only constituencies that get any attention are marginals so Hartlepool would be better off with anyone other than Labour for MP, even if it was only for one term. Just shows how nothing really changes!
Dear Editor,
Hartlepool has had a Labour MP since1945, except for1959 when Commander Kerans took Hartlepool for the Conservatives for a single term. The same applies to the council, apart from a short period when a Conservative/Liberal Alliance held a majority, Hartlepool Council has been dominated by Labour.
So has this loyalty to Labour brought Hartlepool economical success, employment and well paid jobs? Unfortunately not.
In 2010, while the Tall Ships were in town, the office of national statistics reported 25% of working age people in Hartlepool were in receipt of benefits. Compare that to 20% in the North East and 15% in England overall.
Has this loyalty to the Labour Party brought improved health and life expectancy? Unfortunately Not!
The Public Health Observatory reported in 2005 that life expectancy of Hartlepool's women was the LOWEST in the country. Fifty years ago Hartlepool has five hospitals, including a specialist maternity hospital. Today it has one hospital and that is unlikely to survive much longer.
So what has loyalty to Labour brought Hartlepool? It has brought Hartlepool almost to its knees.
Many people are proud they vote labour. Ask them why? Often they don't have an answer other than “Always have, always will” Maybe it's time to start looking for a better reason than that?
We have 60 years of neglect to combat. Sixty years of labour taking the town for granted and 60 years of party political point scoring being more important than really getting things done.
In May 2012 let's start the fight back. Let's ditch the national political parties. Let's all put Hartlepool first.
Stephen Allison
13 Beaconsfield Square
Hartlepool
Of course one of the usual suspects couldn't wait to point out the use of the Beaconsfield Square address and the fact that there is an election coming. So I suppose it's about time for them to start up the "Where does Stephen Allison live?" debate again. If I am sat in my office in the top floor of Beaconsfield Square when I'm doing something then that's the address I use. Typically when I am at Beaconsfield Square its to do with work or council business. If I'm sat in my study at Hurworth Burn when I'm doing something, then that's the address I use. Typically that will be more personal stuff. If I send something from a train then the address on the bottom will be "Sent from my Blackberry" It all depends upon where I am at the time and which hat I'm wearing. When Hartlepool Council write to me, which they do quite frequently, then they send the correspondence to Beaconsfield Square. If Sedgefield Council want to write to me, which they about once a blue moon, then they use Hurworth Burn. If anyone really cares I'm writing this from Hurworth Burn.
PS My first ever letter to the Hartlepool Mail back in 1986 was on almost the same subject! That the only constituencies that get any attention are marginals so Hartlepool would be better off with anyone other than Labour for MP, even if it was only for one term. Just shows how nothing really changes!
Thursday 1 December 2011
Christmas lights
Rough day so far. Ten years ago we spent a family Christmas in Florida. It was the year my father turned 70 and in his usual macabre way he wanted a special holioday since, as he put it,“this might be my last Christmas” of course he was wrong that time! As this will definitely be our first Christmas without him I'm not really expecting a very merry time, but I am determined to keep up as many Allison family traditions as possible. One of these being my tacky display of exterior Christmas lights. These date from that trip to Florida when we were treated to the displays of Christmas lights that many in the US seem to love. From Santa and his sleigh landing on the roof, fairly light illuminated and aninmatronic reindeer grazing on the lawn, right down to simple coloured lights in bushes and around the eves of the houses. I of course loved all this. My father in his pseudo grumpy old man way tried to work out how much the electricity cost! So next year I acquired a few rope lights and a Christmas train that had smoke puffing from its chimney and looked like its wheels were going round. Every year since then the collection has grown slightly to the point where I can’t actually get them all up at the same time. So this year will be a challenge! Christmas lights here I come!
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