OUH building on successful cancer wellbeing event as bookings open for March

Cancer teams at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) are building on the success of their cancer health and wellbeing event, held in November last year, by opening registration for the next session on Monday 9 March.

As more people live longer with cancer, many continue to face challenges such as fatigue, reduced physical activity, and the emotional impact of treatment. OUH’s health and wellbeing events provide clear, trusted information to help people feel confident managing their health after treatment.

The November event, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, brought together 44 patients, carers, and family members at a local Holiday Inn. Attendees heard from OUH specialists on nutrition, fatigue and sleep, physical activity, and psychological wellbeing.

The event also had a powerful lived‑experience speaker, who shared their personal journey and the services that supported their wellbeing, and a gentle movement session delivered by Move Together Oxfordshire.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive who reported increased confidence in managing their health and wellbeing and valued the opportunity to meet peers and share experiences.

One of the attendees said: "As a breast cancer survivor, I found the day very beneficial. It was great to have different experts on hand for face-to-face chats as well as for delivering great information during set sessions. I learnt a few new things and, just as importantly, was reminded of a few things I had forgotten! The venue and food were good too. Thank you for arranging the day."

Twelve community organisations hosted stalls, offering practical advice and signposting to local support. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 91% of attendees saying they would recommend the event to others.

Katie Ralph, Cancer Personalised Care Specialist Nurse at OUH, and lead of the event, said: “After nearly a decade without a generic health and wellbeing event, it was fantastic to bring people together to access reliable information in one place.

"We know how overwhelming it can feel to navigate information after treatment, and our aim was to bring everything together in one place. It was wonderful to see people connecting, sharing, and supporting one another. The engagement and feedback show how valuable this support is for people living with and beyond cancer.

"Thank you to all the organisations who supported the event and to my colleagues from the specialist nurse/ allied health professional teams, who made this event a success."

Hannah Ball, Acting Lead Cancer Nurse at OUH, added: "This event offered practical, compassionate support at a time when many people are ready to focus on rebuilding their routines and confidence. The atmosphere in the room was incredibly positive, and the feedback shows how valuable these events are for our patients and their families."

The next event is on Monday 9 March at the Holiday Inn at Peartree Roundabout, and is free to attend.

It is open to people who have completed primary treatment, are on long‑term treatment, or on watch‑and‑wait pathways. Sessions will cover nutrition, sleep and fatigue, physical activity, psychological wellbeing, and include a movement session.

The event includes lunch, and offers free parking (registration required at reception). Peartree Park & Ride is a short walk away.

Spaces are limited, please register to attend if you are interested by Monday 23 February. For any queries or support, please email Personalised.CancerCare@ouh.nhs.uk.