The country of origin immaterial
Association Number W163000037
My breast cancer was discovered after my first routine mammogram at the age of 49
shortly after I had moved to France in 2000. All my treatment has been carried out
here and included lumpectomy, followed by mastectomy and then radiotherapy.
Hello, I'm Linda and I am the founder and currently President of the group.
I am part of the listening team in the Champagne Mouton area of the Charente (16)
Vice President - I moved to France in July 2006 after a career in education. As Vice President I have been working on a Handbook and Development Plan for the association. These were launched at this year's AGM. One of my principal roles will be to help interested parties think through the tasks needed in order to set up branches of CSF in their region. I am also in temporary charge of the Publicity work for CSF and in this capacity I am overseeing a major campaign that will seek to ensure that CSF is known throughout France.
Social & Fundraising Coordinator - The "CSF Friends Team" organises a series of events throughout the year in the Charente & Limousin regions. Our aim is to raise funds while ensuring people have the opportunity to "have fun." Events will include Quiz Evenings, a Car Treasure Hunt & BBQ, Thé Dansant and a World's Biggest Coffee Morning event in association with Macmillan UK. The funds raised will support the expansion of the association as it seeks to put support in place for people affected by cancer wherever they live in France.
I am Treasurer of the group and ensure that all the activities and projects we are
engaged in are properly funded. I believe it is important that people giving support
should not be out of pocket. I invite them to submit expenses incurred such as telephone,
postage and travel. Accounts are presented at the Annual General Meeting in January.
As a previous carer, I am particularly interested in developing support for those
closest to the person directly affected by cancer and not always aware of the need
for help until much later.
I started my working life in the business world, then moved into mental health, psychotherapy and counselling, both in the UK and Australia. Now settled in France, I realise life has given me a lot, and I want to give something back.
I trained as a librarian and have lots of experience working with people in sensitive situations, latterly in a hospital environment. I hope to use my skills in supporting the work of CSF, mainly by increasing the library stock and ensuring that all the Association's resources are catalogued, also in any other way I can.
I came to Bordeaux with my husband and two teenage sons in 2001 for fun. We have all enjoyed the change and thoroughly enjoy the lifestyle here. Since 2003 I have been co-ordinator of the English Speaking Network, a group of volunteers recruited from the local Anglican Church; Bordeaux Community and Bordeaux Woman’s Club who visit English speaking people who find themselves in hospital here. The patients we visit are often far from home and frequently speak no French. I was a nurse in England specializing in palliative care and oncology so have had a lot of experience with patients and their families. Here in France I am happy to work as a volunteer with the back up and training provided by CSF.
I’ve been involved with CSF for the past year or so now, having come to France with my husband two years ago. We live in the south of La Vienne, not far from the organisation’s centre in Benest. Although more recently we’ve been working on sailing yachts, my work background is in nursing. Having trained and worked as a nurse and midwife in the UK. I later went on to become a community midwifery sister in West London and then trained and worked for a short time as a midwife teacher.
