Head start for cancer patients’ support plea
3/21/2005 Yorkshire, England The Huddersfield Daily Examiner A man who overcame throat cancer is now working to raise awareness of how the disease affects people's lives. John Hodgson, 57, of Hepworth, is chairman of Communicating Head and Neck Cancer Yorkshire (Chancy), which is organising a conference for healthcare workers on Friday, May 27. Head and neck cancers are quite rare, which means that many health professionals do not regularly encounter them. The conference, at Pontefract Racecourse, aims to give health workers the chance to hear patients' views on treatments and the challenges they have faced while battling such cancers. The conference - for 80 delegates - will be followed by a race night to raise cash for the Macmillan Cancer Relief charity. Mr Hodgson was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2000, after visiting his GP about a lump in his neck. After intensive chemo- therapy, radiotherapy and an operation he has overcome the disease. But he was left with a slight hearing problem, his voice tires easily and he has just 12 teeth. All those with fillings had to be removed before radiotherapy. He said: "I am the exception among head and neck cancer patients in that I haven't got much of a speech impediment. "Some people have their voiceboxes removed or have throats or tongues rebuilt. "It affects the way you eat and we hope to help medical professionals understand that it has quite a profound after-effect. "They can then provide better support to patients." It was while Mr [...]