|
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
|
| Auckland Member News 2010 Click here to read Auckland Member News from 2009. News from Auckland Members ... Beads and baubles with Becky and Barbara (August) Sweet Louise Members get rockin' and rollin' with Grease (August) Twists, spins and leaps a-plenty! Sweet Louise Members enjoy Swan Lake On Ice (July) Easy massage with Steph, Caroline and Karen! (July) Members enjoy their Mid-Winter lunch (June) Sweet Louise Welcome Pack launches with tea, cakes ... and Phil Kerslake! (May) Nurturing body, mind and soul with Margi, Aaran and Marita (May) 'Stampin' it up' with Emma and Louise (April) High decibel levels at Auckland meeting in March! (March) Auckland Members participate in Relay for Life (February) Sole to Soul - focusing on feet ... and so much more! (February) Welcome to 2010! (January) The Auckland Member Meetings are held every month from 1030am to 1215pm and generally take place at: Te Waipuna Puawai 12 a Umere Crescent Ellerslie Auckland For more information please call the Support Coordinators on 0800 11 22 77. Member's Meeting 20 August 2010 Beads and baubles with Becky and Barbara!  It was beads and baubles galore as Auckland Members enjoyed a morning with Becky and Barbara from The Bead Hold. Always popular visitors to the Member Meetings, the two soon had everyone organised into making simple necklaces from a colourful selection of beads.Over 25 women came along to the August meeting, including a Member from Whangarei. "It's the first meeting I've attended," she said, "and I've received a lovely, welcoming reception. It's great to create something - it's like returning to childhood." The room was a-buzz with conversation and laughter as the women made their necklaces, caught up on  all the news over Petra's delicious morning tea and welcomed six women who were either new to Sweet Louise or attending a monthly meeting for the first time. Even Gemma the little white dog was made to feel welcome and spent a lot of time sleeping contentedly ... in spite of the noise! Recently appointed Auckland Support Coordinator Sally Collins attended and was delighted to meet so many of the Auckland members. Sweet Louise CEO Sue Brewster dropped in to enjoy the morning and spoke with several Members as they worked on their creations.The craft events are always highlights on the meeting schedule and offer lots of fun and a good chance for Members to catch up with each other ... and there's nothing better than giving something creative a go. "This activity brings out the creativeness inside you never knew you had," said one Member, "and you can have a play." When it was all over and the deeds (beads!) were done, the women proudly showed off their colourful necklaces. Luita is pictured at left with her finished necklace and Member Barbara said, "I've chosen old lady colours - and I'm the only one who's allowed to say that!" Many thanks to Becky and Barbara for providing such a wonderful morning of fun and creativity! Sweet Louise Members get rockin' and rollin' with Grease 5 August 2010  It was time to ‘throw your mittens round your kittens' , break out the rock-n-roll shoes and enjoy a high-octane, 'greased lightning' evening of great music from the 1950s era of slicked-back hair, drive-in movies and teenage romance.Sweet Louise Members and their family, friends and supporters enjoyed the  opening night performance of the acclaimed musical Grease at the Civic Theatre in Auckland on 5 August. Tickets to the show were kindly made available to Sweet Louise by Lunchbox Productions (who also donated tickets to Swan Lake on Ice in July). Pictured at right (L to R): Sweet Louise Team Members CEO Sue Brewster, Sinda Hall and Mandy Druskovich joined Members for the opening night entertainment. The nostalgia of fifties America was brought to life in the music, choreography and performances delivered by a fine touring company of accomplished singers, dancers and musicians. Members enjoyed such well known standards from the show like ‘You're the One That I Want' and of course ‘Greased Lightning' that had everyone clapping and snapping fingers in time to the irresistible beat. It was an evening of wonderful entertainment, thoroughly enjoyed by all. Sweet Louise wishes to extend sincere thanks to Lunchbox Productions for making this opportunity available for Members. Twists, spins and leaps a-plenty! Sweet Louise Members enjoy Swan Lake On Ice July 2010  The ballet of Swan Lake has delighted many an audience over the years with its poignant story and wonderful music. But imagine this traditional ballet with a new twist - plenty of them, in fact! That's Swan Lake On Ice performed by touring Russian company The Imperial Ice Stars. Twists, spins and leaps a-plenty, not to mention wonderful sets, dazzling costumes and stunning aerial acrobatics too... and all of the whirling, twirling, lifting and spinning is done on ice skates! The famous Imperial Ice Stars have brought a stunning and exceptional show of splendid entertainment to New Zealand and Sweet Louise Members attended special performances in Wellington and Auckland. Members and their guests were the fortunate recipients of tickets kindly donated by Lunchbox Productions. In previous years Lunchbox has generously donated tickets to both We Will Rock You and Cinderella On Ice. The excitement over Swan Lake On Ice was apparent in Auckland's Aotea Centre lobby on 22 July as Sweet Louise Members and their guests gathered for a much anticipated matinee performance - and no one came away disappointed. The traditional four-act ballet had been shortened to two and the story differed from the original (with a happy ending!) but the wonder and charm of the ballet was there with plenty of frivolity, fun, drama, action and the age-old battle between good and evil, all dramatically portrayed on ice by a company of accomplished, magnificent dancers. One Member said she was " ... totally transported by the story". And it was easy to forget that these performers were on ice! Working within the confined space of the Aotea stage must have created enormous technical challenges,  making the lifts and spins even more impressive and daring. The dancers gave their hearts to the performance and to the audience, finishing up with one of the most extraordinary curtain calls ever seen as each performer displayed their talent in a dazzling ‘thank you' to the audience. Sweet Louise members and their guests thoroughly enjoyed this special treat. "Very therapeutic!" said one and another said, "It was just spectacular. I feel so good after seeing it." (Pictured at left: Sweet Louise Member Kam (centre) with husband Kwok and Senior Support Coordinator Sinda Hall before the Auckland matinee performance). Sweet Louise is most grateful to Lunchbox Productions for the opportunity to share this uplifting show with its Members. Members' Meeting 15 July 2010 Easy massage with Steph, Caroline and Karen!  A glorious sunny day saw nearly 30 Auckland Members gather for our July meeting. Our guest speakers and demonstrators were Steph, Caroline and Karen who began by teaching hand and foot massages on two very willing volunteers. Then the members worked in pairs and, under the supervision of our Reflexologists, learned some easy massage techniques. There was a great deal of chatting and it appeared the session was enjoyed by all. As it was school holiday several children came along too. They too had fun with paint and stickers and created cards for their Mums. Many thanks must go to Eleanor, one of our Sweet Louise Volunteers, who supervised the intricacies of sticking and pasting! Petra's cheese muffins and chocolate brownies seemed to be a bit hit with both the members and the children. Certainly Janice, another volunteer, was kept busy replenishing the coffee cups and handing round the baking! Members' Mid-Winter Lunch 15 June 2010 Good cheer, laughter and the enjoyment of being together  The Auckland Members' Mid-Winter Lunch is always a joyous and fun affair and this year was no exception. The blue-sky day was fine and warm and over 40 Members came to Te Waipuna Puawai to enjoy a delicious lunch, good company and plenty of laughter. A number of the Sweet Louise Team and volunteers attended too.After a welcome from Sweet Louise CEO Sue Brewster, Members were invited to help  their plates to a delicious selection of salads and ham followed by mince tarts, shortbread biscuits, tea and coffee.Member Jane had made special gifts for the lunch and these were laid at all the place settings. Tables were decorated with lighted candles, adding a warm ambience to complement the sunshine pouring through the windows.  Before the guests arrived, ‘Sneaky Sinda' had placed stickers on the bottom of three chairs at random throughout the room and after lunch she encouraged all to check under their seats for the lucky markers. Three women received lovely gifts of winter hats and a gorgeous muff for keeping hands warm on those cold mornings!It was a truly lovely afternoon with plenty of good cheer, laughter and the enjoyment of all being together. The Mid-Winter lunch is a grand tradition for Auckland Members, offering a lovely social occasion for catching up with one another and also providing an opportunity for the Sweet Louise Team to enjoy the company of the Members too. Many thanks are due to the Sweet Louise volunteers who helped out on the day and to Petra for always making Sweet Louise feel so welcome at Te Waipuna Puawai. Members' Meeting 13 May 2010 Nurturing body, mind and soul  Sweet Louise Members welcomed Service Providers Aaran Church (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Marita Cairns (Massage therapy, Reflexology, Reiki) and special guest Margi Keys to their May meeting. Margi (pictured at left) will be leading a new activity for Sweet Louise Members - the ‘Bush Walk and Talk' series beginning with a ramble through Smiths Bush on Monday 31 May in Auckland."If you like nature, I hope you'll join us on our walks," said Margi as she spoke about the planned walks and showed some examples of the types of native trees and plants that can be found in the bush. Members proved very good at identifying them all! Margi emphasised the gentle nature of the walks. "We stop and talk along the way, there is no rush. It's all about being in the bush and seeing what's there - and then we go and have coffee afterwards!" For more information about Sweet Louise walks with Margi and the schedule, please visit the Bush Walk and Talk page on this site. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) encompasses various modalities: acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tuina, Tai Chi and another traditional exercise, Qi Gong. Within these modalities there are even more.  Aaran Church (pictured) is a practitioner of TCM specialising in acupuncture, Tai Chi (a slow, gentle way of exercise) and Tuina. Tuina is a massage therapy aimed at treating medical conditions. It was 23 years as a Tai Chi practitioner that inspired Aaran to explore oriental medicine and healing arts. Keen to learn more about TCM, Aaran travelled to a Shanghai hospital specialising in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He met with some resistance there from others who questioned his ability to learn foreign medicine. He replied that they had learned western medicine so why couldn't he learn their techniques? Aaran offers his services at Dove House and can assist women living with secondary breast cancer by alleviating discomfort and other symptoms that a practitioner of TCM can diagnose and treat in an holistic way. "I will often ask what a patient needs assistance with - this could be pain, sleep and relaxation difficulties, or nausea. I also like patients to take away something they can do between sessions so I show them ways they can help themselves too." Marita Cairns has been delivering services to Sweet Louise since the organisation began in 2006. She specialises in therapeutic massage. Based on Auckland's North Shore, Marita travels to many parts of the city to provide services in homes, hospitals and  Hospices.Marita explained that massage works well with conventional medical treatments, a fact now widely accepted by medical professionals. The therapy is recognised as part of an ‘holistic' approach to care, supporting not only the body but the mind, spirit and emotions too. "It is not deep tissue massage," said Marita, "but gentle and effective. A body that has been through treatment needs to be handled gently, with safety and comfort." Regular treatments are the most beneficial and benefits are cumulative over time. "The body remembers, taking it deeper each time and the results seem to last longer." Regular massage offers reduction in stress and anxiety levels, lessens fatigue, improves sleep, relieves aches and pains and uplifts the spirit. "The aim of this type of massage is to alleviate pain and treatment side effects while nurturing the mind and spirit and improving overall wellbeing and quality of life." Marita will visit women in their homes, especially during the palliative care phase which can be isolating and where a nurturing touch can mean so much. "We sometimes forget how vital this nurturing touch is, giving love, comfort and reassurance. It's a biological necessity."  Members' Meeting 12 April 2010Stampin' it up with Emma and Louise Twenty-seven Auckland Members enjoyed some creative ‘Stampin' Up' with Emma and Louise in April. It was school holidays so three children came along too. Stampin' Up designs and manufactures a range of decorative rubber stamp sets and accessories for home décor, greeting cards, craft projects and scrapbooking. A US-based company, Stampin' Up products are available through a worldwide network of independent sales consultants (demonstrators) like Emma and Louise who conduct workshops and share their enthusiasm for stamping, card making and scrapbooking.  For more information about Stampin' Up, visit their website.Stampin' Up's mission statement is called its Statement of the Heart: "To love what we do and share what we love as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments ... in this we make a difference." After a quick morning tea, it was down to business. Tables were arranged in a semi-circle and work began in earnest! Emma and Louise showed the group how to make a card, a gift tag and a decorated bag for sweets. No class is complete without the ‘naughty table' where there was far too much laughing going on ... but the quality of the work produced was definitely up to scratch! We wish to thank Emma and Louise, Sweet Louise Members and our Volunteers who made the morning so successful and enjoyable - and offer apologies to Louise who nearly lost her voice giving us instructions over all the noise and laughter!  Members' Meeting 15 March 2010High Decibel levels at Auckland Meeting in March! This report from Support Coordinator Sinda Hall As usual our Auckland monthly meeting took place in Ellerslie. There was a great buzz amongst the Members as they shared stories and information. The decibel levels were high with so much laughter, it sounded as though there was a party going on! The complimentary Reiki and Reflexology sessions were enjoyed by all. Perhaps some of you may try both of these services using your vouchers? There was also a great deal of discussion about using the Forums and Journals site. Several ladies asked me for details of their log on and password - so I hope to see many new posts on the Forums. Please do not forget this site was created for you - to chat, share common thoughts, fears and experiences. Do not be afraid - it is a closed site, only for Members in New Zealand, and only for ladies with the same diagnosis as you.  Auckland Members participate in Relay for Life, Mt Smart Stadium, 20 February 2010Three of our Sweet Louise ladies participated in the Relay for Life at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland. They were kitted out in their bright yellow T Shirts and really enjoyed pacing the track with many other survivors. They loved the party atmosphere, joined in with the line dancing, watched the tug of war and other fun events.  Members' Meeting 18 February 2010Sole to Soul - focusing on feet ... and so much more! Auckland Members were treated to a ‘top to toe' feel-good meeting in February! Guest speaker Service Provider Andrea A. King (Sole to Soul, pictured at left) gave some good advice about caring for our very-important-and-too-often-forgotten feet and Reiki Practitioner Lynne Walker, well known to Sweet Louise Members, offered mini-Reiki sessions. "If your feet feel good, you feel good!" That's one of the messages Members received from Andrea. We don't always attend to our amazing feet, often taking them for granted until they are sore and then we really pay attention because our whole body and how we feel can be affected. A good foot care routine can prevent some of those aches and pains, improve mobility and enhance overall wellbeing. Andrea is a registered nurse specialising in foot care, a focus not seen that often here. A visit to a podiatrist for foot-related problems can be more common. Andrea says almost 90% of issues to do with feet are ones that her speciality can care for but she will consult with and refer to a podiatrist if need be. "As foot care nurses we bring all our nursing skills to that speciality," says Andrea, "looking after not only the feet but the rest of the body as well."  During her nursing training, Andrea learned some simple yet essential routines for foot care. She understood the health benefits such routines could offer and while working in palliative care, saw at first hand how significant these benefits could be. Poor foot health affected overall wellbeing and contributed to loss of mobility.Andrea identified a need to help people practice good foot care and three years ago, she set up Sole to Soul to provide both mobile services and treatment in rest homes and other care facilities. Sole to Soul offers Sweet Louise a mobile, three-level foot care service. Members can choose the level they prefer. Andrea will visit Members at home, listen to any concerns and offer an assessment of foot health with each level. Level one is a nail trim and file and a light lotion massage; level two adds a massage up to the knees with essential oil and level three offers even more - a delightful foot soak and sugar scrub with essential oils. Sessions vary in length from 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the level chosen. The initial appointment may take slightly longer while Andrea conducts a full assessment. Being 100% mobile means Sole to Soul can visit Sweet Louise Members in their homes throughout the Auckland area and North Shore. "It's interesting how something so simple can have such a profound effect on wellbeing and quality of life," says Andrea. "Working with feet can be an holistic therapy. We want to know the whole picture, so we listen carefully and can act as a sounding board for our clients to discuss their health." Andrea urges us all to pay more attention to our feet. "If your feet are sore, you can feel bad all over. Soaking our feet in essential oils can be soothing. I also suggest soaking your feet in cold camomile or peppermint tea - add ice cubes if needed to make it cold. If someone wants to rub your feet with lotion, accept this as an expression of love and enjoy it."  Andrea feels it is important to get to know her clients, especially if they have some issues with their feet - like being ticklish! "I talk to my clients and try to find out what may have happened in their background to make them ticklish or sensitive. I then proceed by telling them what I am going to do next before I do it and asking if that is all right with them. I wait until they are comfortable. It can be a slow process but it's all about gaining trust and confidence."Andrea finished her presentation by asking for a volunteer to experience some of her services and there was no shortage of hands in the air! Jane was the lucky recipient of a short session. Andrea demonstrated a basic foot routine which Jane thoroughly enjoyed! Some Members received relaxing mini-Reiki treatments with Lynne Walker (pictured at left) and everyone commented on Petra's delicious blueberry crumble cake for morning tea! For more information about Sole to Soul, visit their website http://www.soletosoul.co.nz/and see the Sweet Louise Service Directory for contact details. Members' Meeting 22 January 2010Welcome to 2010! This report from Support Coordinator Sinda Hall Our first Auckland meeting of the New Year was held on a rather grey and blustery day but the weather did not deter Members from coming along! There was a great turn out from all over Auckland and we welcomed three new Members. The room was a-buzz with ladies catching up on all the news from the holiday period and offering support and friendship to our newer Members. The morning also provided an opportunity for our recently appointed Support Coordinator, Jan Apps (pictured at left with Sinda Hall) , to meet Members. The style of the meeting (with no speaker planned) was very popular so we have decided to offer the same format for our 15 March meeting and will also have representatives from Reiki and Reflexology on hand to provide 'taster' sessions of these two modalities. Back to top >>> |
|
