We have a range of events throughout the year. From large events such as our summer and Christmas parties to smaller groups and support to individual families. Many of the events are free and most are subsidised by our fundraising activities. We aim to make our events enjoyable and to enable people to meet with others who are on the same journey. Come and share stories, tips and feel part of things once again. We are serving refreshments in the hospital multidisciplinary clinic on Thursday mornings thanks to the generosity of the Guildford branch of Beaverbrooks the jewellers. They provide the tea and coffee as well as some of their staff.
They are brilliant supporters.
We have the events listed on a separate page. It is always helpful if you could let us know if you are coming to an event so we can notify you directly about any changes to our plans.
Get in touch: info@headandneckcancer.life
WE NEED YOU!! If you would like to join our committee or would like to be involved with an event we would be pleased to hear from you. We are always looking for people who would like to help with providing refreshments at the clinic at RSCH and anyone with IT skills. We are also able to provide experience for students seeking to apply for medicine or dentistry. Just contact us at: info@headandneckcancer.life
MacMillan a really useful resource for some of your questions.
If you want to ask about more detailed aspects of treatment and living with head and neck cancer the fantastic MacMillan Support Line is open to all navigating life with cancer. If you need someone to talk to call them on :08088080000. The lines are open 8-8pm.
You are always welcome to join us at Shalford Village Hall (Kings Road, Shalford, GU4 8BQ) on the third Thursday of every month usually 2.30-4.00 pm.more details about the talks and sessions are on the monthly meeting page of the website.
THERE ARE NO MEETINGS AT SHALFORD VILLAGE HALL IN JANUARY, JULY AND AUGUST.
Next social event: TBC
If you can’t make it you can always get in touch with us: info@headandneckcancer.life
We look forward to seeing you soon.
RECENT EVENTS
A lunch time catch up event on 25/06/26 at The Cranleigh Golf & Country Club.
A special thank you to Jan for organising this very well attended luncheon event that was enjoyed by all.
We must also thank the chef , kitchen & waiting staff who provided a lovely experience in this heat !!!
Celebrating our fundraisers
On 24th June cream teas were enjoyed by all as we celebrated the Miller Family’s success in raising £1,040 pounds for our charity . We also would like to thank Jackie Whitely from Oralieve for attending and updating us on the new products available.
The Rural Life Living Museum Trip 9/05/26AVillage At War Event.
It was a beautiful day, the sun shone.The group enjoyed delicious cakes and tea provided by Matt and his team at the cafe. A thoroughly enjoyable trip with lots of interesting exhibits, talks and displays.
A hidden gem tucked away:Reeds Rd, Tilford, Farnham. GU10 2DL You can find out more info here: www.rural-life.org.uk
Raffle prize winner!
The winner of our recent raffle prize kindly donated by Bob sent us these photos of the fantastic day Len had with his brother.
A fantastic fundraiser on 21/02/26 and a big thank you from us all!
Andy Miller was diagnosed with cancer in August and has been under the excellent care of Katie Wood and her team at Guilford for the last 5 months. We were delighted to hold a fundraiser last Saturday to raise some money for Second Chance and all those affected by head and neck cancers. Well over £2000 was raised which will be shared between Second Chance and The Teenage Cancer Trust. It was such a fun night including a darts championship, music, fancy dress and lots of laughter! Just a small way to say a huge thank you to the brilliant team at Guildford and all those affected by head and neck cancers!
OUR 2025 CHRISTMAS PARTY.
This year’s Christmas Party on Saturday 13 th December was a great success. That was due to everyone’s support and we want to thank all of you. Some people need a special mention…We are grateful to Guildford’s Town Crier Mr. David Peters, our Special Guest this year, who helped Father Christmas with the raffles. We are delighted that they raised much needed funds for 2026 activities. The Aeroplane ride prize & £50 Caffè Nero Voucher raised a tremendous £220.The general prize raffle raised a fantastic £151! Thank you to Michael & Edward for selling tickets and all those who generously bought them. Also a very special thank you to the young team of helpers who folded the raffle tickets for the buckets. Our beautifully presented buffet was provided by the charity Surplus to Supper which is an impressive community resource. Robert provided some specially prepared food including the soft canapés. A big thank you to Beaverbrooks & Maxine who continue to fund the refreshments for patients waiting in the Head & Neck OPD Clinic. Without John the RSCH Social Club Manager making sure everything ran smoothly it would not have been such a lovely event so special thanks to him. Ashley our photographer who as you can see always captures the event with his great photos, thank you. Charlie & Jorge had us up on the dance floor showing off our moves to Abba !! Thank you both for the music that put us in the Christmas Spirit!! The Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year .
Our forthcoming talks by professionals working in the field:
TBC
For details of our previous sessions please scroll just a little bit further!
Trips out and aboutand other news:
Christmas Fair Collection at the City of London Freeman’s School 29/11/25 The Second Chance Charity raised a grand total of £621.00 this year at the City of London Freeman’s Christmas Fair. Our bucket shaking at the door team Jan , Mike & Dr. Katie Wood were all amazing. Jan needs a special mention as she somehow managed to juggle both a card machine and bucket shaking !!! We thank all the generous people who donated to our charity.
Christmas Chocolates …Thank yous 4/11/25 On behalf of the Charity Sandra delivered tubs of chocolates to the following departments at the RSCH. Head& Neck Clinic OPD 8 Max Fac OPD Clinic ENT Operating Theatres Clandon Ward Radiotherapy Department at St. Luke’s. The staff in all departments were appreciative of the gesture.
A.G.M. at Shalford Village Hall
We held our Annual General Meeting on 20/11/25 at 2.30pm.
….more details to follow …..
Fundraising at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
A grand total of £195 was raised at our Annual Christmas Stall on 4th November. We would like to thank everyone for their kind generosity and support. It was great to meet so many people and let them know more about the Charity.
Our visit to the Milestone Living History Museum, Basingstoke on Friday October 3rd
Thank you to everyone who attended our trip to the Milestone Museum. We had a lovely morning and it was good to have a catch up with hot chocolate drinks in the cafe afterwards!
We recently received a generous donation from Community Foundation for Surrey which will help us continue with our day to day activities and allow us to consider supporting some innovative projects. Our grateful thanks to them.
The High Sheriff of Surrey Awards 2024-25.
The High Sheriff of Surrey – Shahid Azeem DL presented awards to deserving members of the Community in March at Merrist Wood College near Guildford. The event was an opportunity to recognise members of the Community for their valuable work in the County of Surrey. Amongst them were staff from the police and Surplus to Supper who provided fantastic food for our Christmas party. Sandra Levinge was delighted to receive an award on behalf of the Second Chance support group in recognition of the work of the Charity and the contribution volunteers have made to organise events for people who have been affected by Head and Neck Cancer.
An afternoon by the bandstand on 20th July.
A lovely afternoon in the beautiful surroundings of Guildford Castle Bandstand Gardens. The Staines Brass Band had a varied repertoire of music enjoyed by all.
Dining Experience VE Day 80th Celebration
This was a unique event where people were able to try restaurant quality meals specifically prepared for people who might be experiencing eating difficulties with other people who understand the challenges following surgery or radiotherapy. We were fortunate to have been given an anonymous donation to fund the event for members and a guest. Our thanks to everyone who helped to make it such a useful and enjoyable event.
SOME OF OUR RECENT THURSDAY SESSIONS:
19/03/26 Lasting Power of Attorney talk by Sara Meers Legal.
It was a productive meeting with lively Q&A session.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so in the future. This can cover your health and care decisions or financial matters.
Having an LPA ensures that your wishes are respected, helps avoid confusion or delays, and provides peace of mind for you and your family. It is especially important for anyone facing serious illness or long-term health challenges. An LPA is available to anyone aged 18 or over, and it is not limited to older or seriously ill people. Having an LPA ensures that your wishes are respected, helps avoid confusion or delays, and provides peace of mind for you and your family.
For further details or advice, please contact Sarah Meers Legal Services.
Contact details:
Phone: 020 3858 0307
Email: info@meerslegalservices.co.uk
Address: PO Box 490, Wallington, Surrey SM5 9AL, UK
19/02/26: Lorraine Brown our Specialist Lymphoedema Nurse. Thank you Lorraine for your informative and well presented talk on Lymphodema.
The lymph system is part of the body’s immune system. Lymph nodes filter substances that travel through lymphatic fluid and they contain lymphocytes ( white blood cells) that help the body fight infection and disease. There are over three hundred lymph nodes in the head and neck region. Lorraine discussed exercises for Head & Neck Lympoedema these included; Neck & Shoulder Exercises Neck Rotation,Neck side flexion, Chin tucks, Neck flexion/ Extension. Facial & Oral Exercises Jaw movements,Facial expressions and Tongue exercises. Breathing &Preparation Deep Abdominal Breathing and self Lymphatic Massage.
The committee would like to congratulate Lorraine as she has been nominated for the Chronic Oedema Nurse of the Year Award.
October 16th: Dr Hannah Bolland from the School of Biosciences at the University of Surrey came to talk to the group about her research project that is investigating new biomarkers and treatment for head and neck cancer. We had an opportunity to discuss her research and ways to become involved.
June 19th: Debbie Heaney was our tutor for a Qigong session. Qigong is a system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing and meditation. It is said to be useful for the purpose of health and spirituality.
In a previous life Debbie was all too familiar with a stressful job and hectic lifestyle; but when she reached breaking point something had to change. Having retrained, she now runs her one business centred around Tai Chi, Qigong and Shiatsu based in Godalming. Debbie has practiced Tai Chi and Qigong since 2001 and has been teaching since 2008.
To find out more have a look at Debbie’s website: www.surreyhillstaichi.co.uk m
May 19th. Tamara Kahn the CEO of Oracle, the leading Head & Neck charity in the U.K. A special thank you to Tamara Kahn who travelled from London to attend our Shalford Village Hall meeting. Her effort was much appreciated by all who attended . The committee plan to discuss the work of the Oracle Charity and the work they have undertaken in the Head and Neck Cancer Coalition at our next Trustees meeting.
April 17th. Gemma Harris Specialist Oncology Physiotherapist. A big thank you to Gemma for attending our recent Shalford Village Hall meeting .The benefits to be gained from exercising while undergoing treatment for cancer was discussed.The Q & A session enabled those present to put forward their own queries.
Screenshot
March 20th. A big thank you to Matt for equipping members with the necessary skills to administer basic life support and giving us the confidence to use the equipment you are now beginning to see in town centres etc. The group were shown how to use an AED machine. An Automated External Defibrillator is a portable electronic machine , there are two pads inside the box that are placed on the person’s chest. The machine can automatically detect the abnormal heart rhythm that can cause cardiac arrest. An electric shock is then delivered and that can help to save the life of the person. Matt took away the apprehension of using this equipment. It is easy to use as an automated voice gives clear instructions! BUT we all were reminded to always get help first!!! ALWAYS Ring 999 and make sure the professionals are on their way. You may need the code from them to open the box and access the equipment.
PREVIOUS SESSIONS
A session was led by Kerry Hector who has written the following for us to share with you:
I’m Kerry Hector, Breathwork Coach, Yoga Teacher and Sound Therapist who has a huge love of all things health and wellness – I predominantly work with private clients, including couples and families who seek to manage and improve their own wellbeing. I also work with entrepreneurs and corporate organisations, helping to manage stress and anxiety in the workplace.
I created Calm with Kerry having gone through my own personal experience with stress and the effects it had on my physical and emotional wellbeing – it’s incredibly important to me to bring awareness to tangible and accessible techniques that can be easily adopted into our daily routines, providing stress relief, a reduction in anxiety, better sleep and an overall improvement in physical and mental wellbeing.
Breathwork is incredibly empowering – our breath belongs to us, it’s free and available for us to tap into whenever we need – the benefits we can experience are immediate, as the way we breathe directly impacts the way we feel.
During my classes I guide participants through a series of breathing exercises that soothe and calm their nervous system creating a shift, in real time, in how they are feeling. Breathing consciously and intentionally for just 15 mins per day can have a huge impact on our day to day lives.
Breathwork can also be an effective tool for women experiencing menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats, as well as aiding in balancing mood.
For more information about how I may be able to help you please contact me by phone or email: 07540 571546/ calmwithkerry@gmail.com Instagram @CalmwithKerry
Christmas Party 2024
The Christmas Party held 14th December was a great success and a big thank you to everyone who made it happen.
We are grateful to Zoe Franklin, our Local MP for Guildford, for attending and mingling with all those present. The buffet provided by the charity ‘Surplus to Supper’ was beautifully presented and proved to be very popular. A big thank you also to Robert who provided additional soft food canopies.
Our raffles were very successful in raising funds with the Aeroplane ride prize, donated by Bob Ilett, raising £190 and the general prize raffle raising £145. Thank you to Michael and Edward for selling tickets and all those who so generously purchased lots of tickets. We should also mention, particularly, Beaverbrooks Jewellers and Everyman Cinema for donating prizes.
We are grateful to John, the RSCH Social Manager, for assisting us in setting up the party, manning the bar and making sure everything ran smoothly. We are also so grateful to Ashley for giving up his time supporting our charity and recording the event as always with his excellent photographs.
Charlie and Jorge were again supporting us providing festive music to get us in the Christmas spirit. The event would not be the same without them and of course we could not do without Father Christmas who somehow found the time to attend our event at such a busy time of year.The Committee do hope those who attended enjoyed the event and would like to take the opportunity to wish all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Christmas Fundraising
The Second Chance Charity were invited to the City of London Freeman’s School Christmas Fair at the end of November. We are very grateful to Dr. Katie Wood who arranged for us to collect contributions at the door. A special thank you to Father Christmas, Mike & Jan, Sandra , Dr. Katie Wood and her daughter for shaking buckets . The grand total raised was an amazing £647.62p !!!! People were so generous and we thank them all.
We were overwhelmed by the fantastic support we had from staff, patients and members of the public for our Christmas themed fundraising stand at the Royal Surrey Hospital on 8/11/24. We will be selling items at the Christmas party too….
SandraSpreading some seasonal cheer:
Sandra on behalf of the charity delivered tubs of chocolates with a Christmas card to the following departments at the RSCH. Head & Neck clinic OPD 8 Max fac OPD clinic ENT Operating Theatres Clandon Ward Head & Neck Radiotherapy department St.Lukes The staff in all departments were very appreciative of the gesture.
Our second treatment and recovery story session:
After our AGM meeting in October, Immaculate gave a moving account of her cancer treatment and care experience. Immaculate required major surgery and talked about the impact on herself and her family. A fuller account of her talk can be seen on Our Stories section of the website. This talk facilitated other members to share their stories. The discussion emphasised the need to be persistent in getting referred to the right people when your body just doesn’t feel quite right. Immaculate celebrated the expertise, care and kindness shown to members by staff once her treatment started. Immaculate has made an amazing recovery and it is worth reading more about her journey on Our Stories page as it shows how her positive mindset and support from friends and family have helped in her recovery. Second Chance committee group asked members what support from the charity would have been helpful during this time. Some interesting ideas were suggested which we plan to investigate. Allan provided a delicious, soft Victoria Sandwich Cake which helped sustain the meeting and was enjoyed by all. Not a crumb was left! Thank you Allan
Our thanks to Julie Scrace for hosting our first discussion covering treatment and recovery following a Laryngectomy.
Julie had a laryngectomy 20 years ago. She had been a singer and a brass band player. She was determined to get back to music, despite being told she would never play again. As you can see she is back to performing and teaching again. If you want to read more about Julie’s story you will find it in the our stories section of the website.
Congratulations to our latest fundraisers
We celebrated the fantastic achievement of Stephen, David and Emma who ran the Woking half marathon on Sunday 8th September. They have raised approximately £5000 for the Charity. It looks like more people are donating so the final figure could be even higher. This is an amazing achievement and will enable us to provide support for more initiatives to help more people affected by head and neck cancer. Thank you!
If you would like to add to the final figure you can donate here:
We were delighted that The High Sheriff Mr. Shahid Azeem was able to attend our Charity’s Garden Party held on Sunday 30th June.
The event was well attended and all enjoyed a delightful afternoon in lovely surroundings.
A special thank you to Jan and Mike Humphries for hosting the occasion and Charlie and Jorge for providing the music.
Finally, our thanks for the photos that were kindly taken by Mr. Ashley Prytherch. which really capture this happy occasion. You can find more photos of the event in the News section on the website. Many thanks to all of you that so generously supported us in raising funds for more activities. Enjoy the rest of the Summer and look out for a new programme of events and activities starting in September.
PAST MEETINGS
Our June meeting was held on Saturday 22/06/24. We had a lot of fun thanks to the quiz master’s wide ranging questions. Answers included Morrisey, Sigourney Weaver, Treaty of Versailles and 1783. The winning team achieved a fantastic near perfect score and were rewarded with chocolate. Raffle prizes included tickets to Bocketts farm and Birdworld. Our thanks to Bocketts Farm and Birdworld for donating these prizes.
The afternoon also included afternoon tea including foods with a variety of textures. Finally Immaculate presented us with an incredibly generous £1010 raised by her sponsored walk. Without funds like these we would not be able to offer such a wide range of activities. Thank you again Immaculate and Joseph.
Our speaker in May was Sandra Gates who is a specialist cancer and cardiac rehabilitation instructor and a World Record holder.
Sandra was part of the Team Ithaca who successfully completed the GB Row Challenge 2023. It obviously was a tough challenge and Sandra definitely was a worthy winner.
Sandra also spoke about her work with Can rehab:
What is CanRehab Trust?
In 2020 Professor Anna Campbell set up CanRehab Trust to provide support for people living with and beyond cancer in UK to become or stay active. The aim of this charity is to help people manage the side effects of cancer or treatment and improve their quality of life.
The Charity is developing a register of approved personal trainers and health professionals qualified to provide tailored exercise programmes for people living with cancer. CanRehab Trust matches individuals who may require a physical activity programme to an instructor who can provide a number of exercise sessions that are tailored to the person’s needs based on their diagnosis and general health, stage of treatment and previous exercise experience.
For more information please go to: canrehab.com
Sandra also spoke about how the organisation funds free exercise sessions. For more information call 03454594618
Ramster Gardens
We were so lucky with the weather when we visited Ramster Gardens in Chiddingfold. It is a historic woodland garden famous for its extensive collection of azaleas and rhododendrons and they are spectacular at the moment. If you weren’t able to join us it is well worth a visit.
Our last session:
Eileen Goldsack from the Fountain Centre, an independent charity based within St Luke’s Cancer Centre came to talk to us about the range of services they provide. The centre provides complementary therapies, psychological and family support. Some of our members talked about the sessions they have had there including therapies for insomnia and anxiety.
Dr Mandeep Bajwar came to talk to us about his role as lecturer and researcher at the University of Surrey and as a Head and Neck Cancer consultant at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Mandeep has a research remit and is particularly interested in implementing a system using a patient concern’s inventory and quality of life questionnaire that patients will complete at home and will be reviewed by members of the multidisciplinary team to identify who requires additional help and support. Mandeep is going to set up a forum to improve patient involvement in service planning. If you are interested in getting involved please contact us.
The charity would like to thank Sue Bond for attending our Shalford Village Hall meeting. Sue is an aromatherapist and Reiki Practitioner at the Fountain Centre based at the RSCH (bondsue@hotmail.com). Sue explained that Reiki is a type of energy healing. As a complimentary therapy it is sometimes used as a palliative or supportive therapy for people with cancer. It aims to relax you, ease stress and tension and help with well being. Sue defined aromatherapy as a practice based on the use of aromatic materials, including essential oils. An interesting discussion followed on Olfactory & massage aromatherapy . The scents of certain oils can help to boost mood and promote relaxation. The group found it an interesting and informative discussion. A thank you to Allan for providing the delicious homemade Victoria Sandwich Cake .
Patrick & Sandra recently paid a visit to Clandon Ward and were joined by one of the Consultants Mr. David Walker to talk about links between the Hospital and the Charity.
Sandra was given the opportunity to meet the nursing team and to show them some of the opportunities and events offered to our members.The staff were very impressed with what is provided in terms of support and activities and were enthusiastic about encouraging patients and their families to join in.
We hope you are able to come and join us at 2.30 at Shalford Village Hall for a coffee and chat. Our speaker this month is Sue Bond who works in the Fountain centre and is an aromatherapist and Reiki Practioner.
The session on March 21st will be covering the patient participation project at The Royal Surrey Hospital.
Our Christmas Party held 9th December 2023 was a great success
A big thank you to the following;
The Deputy Mayor Sallie Barker MBE. for supporting our event this year.
Charlie & Jorge for the wonderful music.
Father Christmas for taking time out of his busy schedule!
Ashley our photographer and Hospital staff for their attendance.
John, the Social Club Manager, for all his help and the Committee for the delicious buffet.
Those who donated prizes for the raffle including Bletchley Park and the jockey club and the hyacinth bulbs for sale. Combined we raised £196.00. Special thanks for the ongoing support we have had from Beaverbrooks the jewellers.
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas 🎄and look forward to seeing you for our next meeting on January 18th 2024.
Sandra on behalf of the charity delivered tubs of chocolates with a Christmas card to the following departments at the RSCH; Head&Neck clinic OPD 8 Max fac OPD clinic ENT Operating Theatres Clandon Ward Radiotherapy Department St.Lukes The staff in all departments were very appreciative of the gesture
A big thank you to the generosity of everyone who attended yesterday’s school Christmas Fair . After 4 hours of bucket shaking the charity has raised over £500 and we are still counting the coins! Katie Wood organised this opportunity and her daughter joined the bucket shaking with Jan and myself. Best wishes to all and look forward to seeing everyone at the Christmas Party.
We were very lucky that Anne was able to join us as our last speaker of 2023. The session was interactive and was fascinating as Anne covered some of the changes and advances in treatment approaches over the last 20 years. She talked us through some of the latest developments including immunotherapy and the RSCH plans for the future. We were very grateful to her for taking time out of her busy schedule.
A big thank you to Joanne Ansell for attending our Thursday afternoon coffee meeting at Shalford Village Hall. Good advice was given as to the best exercise routines to follow, before and after surgery / radiotherapy treatment. These included keeping as active as possible before surgery and doing deep diaphragmatic breathing exercises. The members were able to put forward their queries to Joanne over a cuppa away from a busy clinic environment. She also suggested what to pack in your hospital bag which included loose clothing, ear plugs and eye mask. She explained that as they like to get you moving asap after surgery make sure to take some footwear that you can fasten e.g. Velcro slippers or trainers, they are great as they can be adjusted if your feet swell. Her time was most appreciated by all present. We now have Physiotherapy Exercise Information sheets available on request by email and they will be on display at our next meeting for those who would like one.Joanne has kindly marked the four most important exercises to assist you in gaining a healthy recovery.
Best wishes to all and our next speaker will be Anne Hope 16 th November.
We enjoyed meeting people who have been treated at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust at this gathering. It gave the invitees an opportunity to listen to talks from health care professionals and ask questions. We were there to explain the type of support our Charity is able to offer.
Don’t forget to get in touch: info@headandneckcancer.life
We were delighted to have met so many people at this very busy open day. Our stall at this event enabled us to network with health care professionals, service users and students interested in work experience. Our apologies to one young man as we don’t have many work experience opportunities for Spider-Man…but for any one else drop us a line: info@headandneckcancer.life
We had an interesting and informative visit on Saturday 9/09/23 with a guided tour of the house. We then visited the Art Gallery and viewed the sculptures . The Victorian Virtual Reality exhibition is dedicated to stereoscopy and the largest display of original items from the Brian May Archive. Great fun looking at all the images. We then enjoyed afternoon tea and a chat together in the gardens on the hottest day of the year!
Following on from the announcement that BeaverbrooksJewellers had adopted us as a nominated charity to officially support, we can report that on Wednesday 6th September committee members were invited to the store in the Friary Centre to receive a donation. We were thrilled to receive a cheque for £1,800.
We would like to express our gratitude to Maxine Hill and all her staff at the Friary Centre store together with Beaverbrooksgenerally for their support.
This money will make a huge difference and will be used to help fund organised trips and the continued hiring of ShalfordVillage Hall for our meetings with talks, conversation and afternoon tea.
Royal Surrey Hospital Social Club 21/09/23 at 14.00-15.00
Please come and join us for our AGM followed by refreshments.
The meeting will briefly cover areas that are mandatory for Charities including a financial report a review of the past year and election of officers. Also there will be an opportunity to meet with Dr Mandeep Bajwa who is leading a research forum looking at patient reported outcomes as well as patient and carer involvement in head and neck cancer services. The project is supported by the Royal Surrey County Hospital and the University of Surrey.
This was a popular trip to the famous vineyard near Dorking Surrey. It is one of England’s largest single estate vineyards so we were glad that we chose to tour the 265 acres by train. The tour was both enjoyable and informative with marvellous views.
The Second Chance Charity were invited to attend this event. The collection raised £69 . Thank you to all who contributed and to Katie, Lila and Charlie for their assistance. This money will fund our next outing for members to Denbies Vineyard . Best wishes to all, Sandra Levinge (Chair)
The Charity’s Collection team Sandra, Charlie,Lila and Katie
A Specialist Head & Neck Speech and Language Therapist Tracie Mansell gave a very informative talk today in tropical heat weather conditions! Tracie updated us on the latest developments in Laryngectomy treatment and care. There were various products on display for helping with trismus and dry mouth which were some of the topics discussed. The talk concluded with a very helpful question and answer session. Thank you also to Allan for the delicious coffee cake enjoyed by all.
We would like to invite members to join us on an outing to Denbies Estate, Dorking on 15/07/23. We are planning to take the ‘vineyard train tour’. This travels around the 265 acre estate with an informative commentary. The group will be meeting at 10.30am. This will give time to explore the art exhibition and shop before the tour commences at 11.00am. The Charity will fund the cost of the tour. We will need at least 12 attendees to make the trip viable. After the tour we will be moving on to the cafe where refreshments will be available for members to purchase for themselves. Those attending can also independently arrange wine tasting. This should be arranged in advance through Denbies website. Please let us know if you would like to come by 15/06/23.
Other news…….
Second Chance would like to announce our new partnership with Beaverbrooks Jewellers. They have agreed to supply the teas and coffees for the Thursday morning Head & Neck Clinic at the RSCH. Maxine and Egilija have also become hospital volunteers and from 15th June will be serving these beverages to patients in the waiting area.
The new volunteers outside the store in the Friary Centre, Guildford.
We had a very enjoyable session with Claire Hanika Advanced dietitian, Head and Neck Oncology from The Macmillan Aftercare and Rehabilitation Service based at the Royal Surrey Hospital on 18/05/23.
Claire led us through the myths and facts associated with healthy eating. Who knew drinking Ribena helps with iron absorption and drinking Coca Cola can increase cholesterol and Diet Coke can reduce cholesterol ? We were delighted to hear a small amount of 70% dark chocolate can be good for you. We had plenty of tea and homemade cake available …. luckily Claire didn’t put us off the delicious home made Victoria Sponge.
Thanks to Claire for taking time out of her busy schedule to share her knowledge.
you can find copies of Claire’s presentation in the resources section on this website. Apologies for the quality …….hopefully we will be able to revive our scanner soon……
I would like to thank Derek Carpenter and the team at Farnham Castle for the warm welcome we received on arrival.
The guides who took us round the Bishops Palace and Castle were very informative and brought to life the fascinating history behind the site. Everyone agreed the tour was a great success.
The group then went on to the Farnham Park café. A friendly and efficient staff served us with tea and coffee and delicious cakes. A perfect ending to the day!
It is a very popular wedding venue and many of the rooms were set out for a celebration
If you would like to visit the Bishop’s Palace and Castle Keep we would certainly recommend a tour with one of the volunteer guides.
These are available every Wednesday afternoon 2-4pm at a cost of £5. There is no need to book but they recommend that you check the website for tour availability just in case:
At our last drop in session at Shalford Village Hall we were joined by Sonia Rahim and Becky Field from Atos. A big thanks to them for refreshments as well as our superb resident cake maker ( a superb lemon drizzle).‘Sonia and Becky first told us about the role of the best start and field nurses. When a patient is registered with Atos by their speech and language therapist they are offered the opportunity to trouble shoot any problems that might occur in the early days with a best start nurse. Typically they could be helping with stoma care, base plates, voicing with valves or using an electrolarynx. If necessary the Atos nurse can contact the relevant health care professionals on the patient’s behalf. In addition patients registered with Atos will have access to a nurse for as long as they need. They gave us a really helpful opportunity to discuss travelling safely this summer. Atos also have online support in the form of online coffee mornings, webinars and my life events.
There is an online Coffee and Conversation session on 25/05/23 at 10 am. Also there are other online sessions:
15/06/23 2-3pm about A guide to travelling safely this summer. The session for tracheostomy is on 13/06/23 2-3pm
29/06/23 2-3pm an online workshop for improving taste and smell
A special thank you to Mr. Robin Sheldrake for instructing our class. We learned how Tai Chi, as an ancient oriental art can, over time, help revitalise mind, body and spirit.
This moderate form of exercise can help to improve flexibility, reduce muscle pain and improve circulation and balance. Everyone present thoroughly enjoyed the experience, learning something new.
