New website:
 Welcome to the Headstart website! We hope that you will find the information interesting and useful. If you need help, please do not hesitate to > contact one of the team. Headstart is designed for you, so if there is anything you would like to see headstart offer or would like to see on this website, please let us know. Also, tell us what you do like - and we'll do more of it!
Please note the website is still a work in progress. Please bear with us while the content and structure are completed; if you find a link that doesn't work or an empty page, do let us know!
Mouth Cancer Action Week
The Mouth Cancer Foundation promoted a Mouth Cancer Action Week from 15th-21st November 2009.
 Several Headstart members took part in the Mouth Cancer 10 km Walk in Hyde Park on Saturday 26th September. Donations can still be made until December by visiting www.rdoc.org.uk/fundraising.html
The picture shows Pauline, Brooke, Ron, Debbie, Suzanne plus friend, firing themselves up for the big event.
 Suzanne runs for Macmillan
Mouth cancer patient Suzanne Rogers completed the London Marathon and raised £4,700 for Macmillan. > see the story of Suzanne's marathon here
Free prescriptions for cancer patients
From 1st April 2009, exemption from prescription charges on medical grounds were extended to patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer, the effects of cancer or the effects of cancer treatment. > see details (Word document)
New product for dry mouth sufferers
We've been made aware of a new product which may help for those suffering from dry mouth. You can > download a leaflet here (pdf 521kb) for more details.
Headstart publication: 'Get a Headstart
eating and drinking'
Many of you will be aware of our proud achievement of producing the book ‘Food Glorious Food’, a self help advise book on eating and drinking difficulties following treatment for head and neck cancer. This is a book produced by patients for patients.
It has received excellent feedback from many quarters, most noticeably Macmillan. Many people, including our committee would like to see this book published in a more professional manner with a view to wider distribution and perhaps to create more revenue for Headstart? It has been kindly designed and published by the in-house photographic department at the Queen Victoria Hospital a very reasonable cost, but they have only limited publishing equipment. The committee are now looking into the costs of publication and approaching Macmillan for a grant towards these costs.
How Members Can Help:
- As the book needs updating any new contributions from members on helpful hints on managing eating & drinking difficulties will be gratefully received.
- Any personal accounts of how you have overcome or adapted to the changes in your eating & drinking could be included in the book.
- The carer’s perspective would be most gratefully received as we only have a few included in the book.
- If you know of any publishing companies who might help us with this endeavour, please give us their details.
If you wish to contribute in any way please contact any of the Headstart committee members or directly to me. Thank you for your support.
Brooke Quinteros
Principal Speech and Language Therapist
Queen Victoria Hospital, Holtye Road, East Grinstead. RH19 3DZ
Tel: 01342 414526
Email brooke.quinteros@qvh.nhs.uk
. > see more details of the book here
Why not share your own tips? > contact us
|
