I suffered in silence for far too long – this can’t be allowed to happen to others | UK | News

In 2011, a base of tongue cancer, a form of head and neck cancer, which is usually no early symptoms and is often connected to HPV (human papillomavirus), was diagnosed. My treatment contained aggressive radiotherapy tours, chemotherapy and ultimately two radical neck dissections. Although these treatments are necessary to save my life, they were physically broken, emotionally overwhelmed and mentally left mentally. One of the most overlooked aspects of my journey is the psychological trauma that I endured not only during treatment but also in the following months and years.

I lost more than 12 stones, normally my ability to eat and swallow was seriously affected, and I left a physical scar and a deeply modified sense of identity. I remained silent for a long time, I shifted to the darkness of depression that led to suicide thoughts. I got rid of cancer, but I wasn’t alive anymore, I was just there. In the first stages of my care, I did not present a comprehensive holistic need assessment at any point.

There was no combined approach to assess my mental welfare, nutrition, speaking and swallowing difficulties or social conditions.

The lack of a personalized care plan meant that I had to walk only in life after treatment without a clear way or coordinated support.

This experience is not unique to me. As the founder and general manager of Swallows Head and Neck Cancer Charity, now every day I hear stories like mine.

Our charity supports thousands of patients and caregivers a year, most of them tell us that they are abandoned when treatment is over.

They face long -term and life -changing side effects, pain, fatigue, speaking and swallowing difficulties, deformity, insulation and mental health difficulties. These individuals need care beyond the hospital walls.

The Ministry of Health said that all cancer patients should take a holistic need assessment and a personalized care plan at the beginning or at the beginning of their treatment and that this is welcomed.

However, we should go further and faster to ensure that these measures are not only in place, but also all NHS confidence and cancer centers consistently and effectively.

We believe that a holistic needs assessment should be standardized and completed within the first two weeks of the diagnosis, through regular follow -up during the treatment journey and survival.

These assessments should go beyond the marking boxes; They should really discover the psychological, emotional, nutrition, social and practical needs of a patient.

The personalized care plan should be developed with patient and caregiver, not for them later. We pioneered this holistic approach in swallows. 7/24 Patients and Caregiver Support Line, Virtual and Face -to -Facial Peer Support Groups, Caregiver Training and Support Boxes are adapted according to the real world needs informed by people with experienced experience.

We developed WhatsApp groups for emergency care cards, laryngtomy patients and actively expanded our presence in insufficient service areas.

However, no institutions like ours can only do a lot. We need a national health policy to support this with resources, training and accountability.

That’s why we support Daily Express’s cancer care campaign.

As someone who has the ruthless physical and emotional consequences of head and neck cancer, I know that survival is just the first step. Living again mentally, socially and emotionally requires a security network of compassionate, coordinated care.

If I had received a holistic need assessment and a personal care plan at the beginning of my journey, maybe I would not have reached such a low point.

But I found a renewed purpose with my healing and work with swallows: to make sure that no one feels as lonely as I do and does not lose as much as I do.

It is very important that holistic, personalized support becomes a reality for every patient.