As we enter the month of May, we are excited to announce a new partnership with Pinc and Steel aimed at providing physio-delivered rehabilitation to as many patients as possible. We are currently piloting this scheme in Auckland, and if successful and we raise sufficient funds, we hope to extend it to other areas.
I must add that this is still in the late planning stages but it will go ahead.
As July approaches, we are gearing up for our annual month of awareness raising. As usual, we will hold a stall with the ORL team at Auckland Hospital, and we will also use online channels to advocate for the HPV vaccination and share warning signs of head and neck cancer. We believe that advocating for the HPV vaccination and promoting early detection are two important ways to mitigate the suffering caused by this disease.
On our Facebook forum, we are discussing several topics, including the common side effects of radiotherapy such as dry mouth, and the struggles of patients who produce excessive saliva and dribble because of nerve damage to the lips.
We have support meetings scheduled at Domain Lodge on June 7 and July 5, and every second month thereafter on the first Wednesday. Please mark your calendar for June 7 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm in the Support Room of Domain Lodge, located opposite Auckland City Hospital.
Lastly, we would like to share a photo of myself and Ian, our website host, taken at one of our recent North Shore meetings. It is heartening to see head and neck cancer patients come together and find joy in each other’s company.