We have been contacted by the Head and Neck team at the hospital with a great fundraising idea. As you’ll know, patients that have radiotherapy have their own mask made, to help keep their head still for radiotherapy and make treatment as accurate and effective as possible. As time goes on, these masks take on something of a life of their own, viewed by the patient with some dread but at the same time, appreciated as an essential component.
Once treatment is over, the masks are sometimes ceremonially binned and other times retained as a memento of a tough time that’s now history.
We’d like to change that, and encourage all our Radiotherapy patients ( and spouses / partners / children / friends ) to retain the masks, and decorate them in any way they like. This could include painting, sequins, embroidery and any other method. Headcases are happy to host the prize giving at our meeting currently planned for 6th October 2021.
Here’s a mask in it’s natural state:
And here’s the kind of thing that is possible with some creative effort:
All funds raised will be passed on to UHNM Charities and will be used for the benefit of future Head and Neck patients. The prizes will be announced once the competition is properly under way. It’s a great way to celebrate the end of a testing time for the patient, and loved ones, so please have a go, and enjoy!
If you have already discarded your mask but would like a go, either get in touch with Headcases, or the specialist nurses and we’ll try and get hold of one for you. Sometimes the masks can become too tight or too loose, so a new one is made, and the old one becomes available. We may have to reconsider this, since at the moment the hospital is unable to provide additional masks.
