We discussed a new idea at our April meeting. The Speech Therapists brought this to our attention and Amy is attending the May meeting to give further information.
In essence we can obtain some new equipment, unaffordable by the NHS that helps a patient to regain more tongue function after surgery or other treatment. The equipment comes in two parts. One part is retained at the hospital, and used to begin the Therapy and train the patient in its use. The second part goes home with the patient, and is used for as long as required to get a benefit with speaking and eating. The equipment costs several thousand pounds, but in a show of hands at the meeting a large majority were in favour of going ahead with the purchase. We look forward to hearing the details, and starting the ball rolling on this proposal.
James Bisson, Senior Practitioner, Radiotherapy at UHNM recently shared this You Tube video. In the video, a patient, previously a professional singer sings ‘Amazing Grace’. Her tongue had been rebuilt from bone and muscle from her leg following tongue cancer surgery. I’ll let this woman’s courage speak for itself….
