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A guide to life after surgery

This is the OPA’s most comprehensive overview of the surgical operation and the consequent life-altering pathway to the fullest recovery possible. Diagrams illustrate the nature of surgery for an oesophagectomy and for a gastrectomy, and the changes to the anatomy of the digestive tract. It is useful not only for those who have undergone either of the two surgical operations, but also for carers, relatives and friends of the patient. It will help them to understand what stages of post-operative treatment, gradual recovery, and consequent changes in life-style the patient has been, or is going through. It offers brief advice on questions to ask in preparing to undergo surgery, and detailed advice on managing the new patterns and problems of eating and drinking that post-surgical patients may experience. It also addresses other aspects of living that may change, such as driving, eating out, sleeping , family relationships and getting back to work, and ends with some detailed suggestions for healthy eating. This booklet can be read alongside the booklets listed below on: Preparing for surgery: ‘Oesophagogastric Cancer, the patient’s pathway’, and Problems, remedies and recipes for healthy eating: ‘Swallowing & nutrition – when it’s difficult’.

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Swallowing - Nutrition when it's difficult

Possibly the greatest change to the lifestyle of the post-oesophagogastric surgery patient occurs with eating and digesting food. This booklet offers advice on, and recipes for, balancing the diet, including the addition of food supplements. It addresses some of the principal eating problems such as loss of appetite, nausea, indigestion, and diarrhoea, and explains the effects of having a stent fitted, or undergoing radiotherapy of chemotherapy, on eating and digestion. Extra recipes can be found in the OPA’s booklet ‘Recipes for when food is a problem’.

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OPA Recipes for When Food is a Problem

This is a book of recipes and food ideas for people who may need to put on weight, have difficulty in swallowing, or who are living with the after-effects of surgery on their stomach and/or oesophagus (gullet).

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Notes for a Carer

Caring for a cancer sufferer or survivor is not a time-limited commitment, for which patience, understanding, empathy and warmth are indispensable qualities that can enhance the sufferer or survivor’s quality of life. This booklet offers useful advice, information and encouragement to those shouldering the role of carer, including related websites for working carers and – thanks to Age UK’s research and information services – advice on claiming Carer’s Allowances and Attendance Allowance. Details are also given for patients on obtaining Eli Lilly’s DVD ‘What can I eat now’, and on purchasing a subsidised bed wedge for elevating head and torso in bed.

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The Patient's Pathway

This gives a brief overview of the stages of pre-operative preparations following a diagnosis of oesophageal or gastric cancer, of the surgery itself, and of recovery and post-recovery follow-ups.

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OPA Leaflet - Living with Oesophageal or Gastric Cancer?

This introduces the OPA and our group & one-to-one support services.

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OPA Card for patients eating out

Recognising that after surgery for oesophageal or gastric cancer, patients often cannot eat full restaurant portions, OPA has devised a two sided card that can be discreetly shown to waiting staff in a restaurant. The first side states "Due to a medical condition I require urgent access to toilet facilities". The second side states "Due to a medical condition I am unable to eat normal portions of food. Please provide me with a child's size portion". We have these cards in the following languages:

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Join the Fight leaflet

Join the Fight against Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer. Please will you help us? Your donation will make a huge difference and help us to support and reassure patients, carers and their families whose lives are touched by these devastating illnesses.Download

English

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Dutch

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French

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German

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Greek

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Italian

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Polish

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Portuguese

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Spanish

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Turkish

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Making donations to the OPA

All donations are gratefully received and can help us to give patients the support they need as well as raising awareness of Oesophageal Cancer. Download

Giftaid Declaration Form for Single Donations

Giftaid declaration form for a single donation - if you are a UK tax payer we will receive and extra 25p for every £1 you give.

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Dietary advice for patients experiencing dumping syndrome after oesophago-gastric surgery

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham patient information leaflet on dietary advice for patients experiencing dumping syndrome after oesophago–gastric surgery.

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OPA Legacy Leaflet

A gift in your Will is a special way you can help patients, their families and friends touched by oesoph ageal and gastric cancer, in what can be a lonely nightmare. If you would like to find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to the OPA download our Legacies Leaflet.

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Psychology of Cancer

Courtesy of Macmillan Cancer Support. This is an edited version of a talk originally given by Dr Harvey at the annual conference of the Cancer Self Help Groups.

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Signs and symptoms of Oesophageal Cancer from Cancer Research UK

How to spot the signs and symptoms and reduce your risk of Oesophageal Cancer leaflet from Cancer Research UK. In this leaflet you can find out about the signs and symptoms to look out for and how to reduce the risk of oesophageal cancer.

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OPA Fiona Wade Appeal Leaflet

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Fiona Wade Appeal for the Oesophageal Patients Association. OPA Patron and TV actress Fiona Wade, better known as Emmerdale’s Priya Sharma has a personal connection with the OPA, having lost her father to Oesophageal Cancer. ‘I had never heard of his type of cancer before and I always feel to this day that if we had been more aware of oesophageal cancer or reflux disease then, for sure, earlier diagnosis would have made a huge difference and maybe saved his life.’

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James Gossage - 5th May 2018 AGM Presentation

Slides and notes from the presentation given by James Gossage - Consultant oesophago-gastric and general surgeon, Guys and St Thomas' at the AGM on 5th May 2018

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