Raising awareness of Oesophageal cancer

The Oesophageal Patients Association N.I. (OPANI) are holding an awareness raising and fund raising event in Dobbies on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd April.

The Association is run by volunteers who have been affected by these cancers along with the support of medical and nurse professionals.

As well as supporting patients the organisation aims to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms to enable early diagnosis and improved outcomes for patients.

Funds raised by the organisation are used to improve patient’s comfort and to help fund projects that will benefit future patients.

Last year the Association helped fund the refurbishment of a patients quiet room in the Belfast City Hospital.

It is aptly named The Roy McMullan Room after the late Roy McMullan who founded the organisation in Northern Ireland.

This year there will be a cycling event on June 17-18 to raise funds for a project that will provide training to enable early diagnosed patients to have less invasive surgery and a quicker recovery rate.

For more information please log onto the OPANI website. http://www.opani.org/