2022 marks the 5th anniversary of Head & Neck Cancer Australia’s signature event, Soup for the Soul.  For the first time, a local Head & Neck Cancer Support group will host a Soup for the Soul fundraising event on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday 23 July at Headland Golf Club in Buderim. 

The event aims to raise awareness and funds for these brutal forms of cancers which can affect a person’s identity unlike any other cancer. Head and Neck Cancer  can leave a person unable to speak, with devastating facial disfigurements and take away basic abilities  we all take for granted like eating, breathing, speaking, drinking and swallowing.

Unlike some more common cancers, there is no screening test for Head and Neck Cancer so all Australians need to be aware of the signs and symptoms and act quickly if they notice something unusual.  Some of the more common signs? of Head and Neck Cancer include a sore in the mouth that doesn’t heal, pain when swallowing, a sore throat or a lump in the neck. Other symptoms can include ear pain, a blocked nose on one side and/or bloody discharge or a bulging or watery eye.

Carol Adams of Mooloolaba was diagnosed with tongue cancer in July 2019 and started the local support group in 2021.

“My cancer started with a persistent and particularly painful ulcer. It was affecting my eating so I asked my doctor about it. He gave me some drops, but when that didn’t get rid of it, I also asked my dentist, who told me to go back to my doctor. He then referred me to an ear, nose & throat specialist. He took a biopsy and it was later diagnosed as tongue cancer.”

Carol underwent surgery within weeks at Sunshine Coast University Hospital removing one third of her tongue, and reconstructing it with a chunk from her forearm.

Carol spent around a week in intensive care and around six weeks in hospital, and endured 36 rounds of radiation, before being announced as being in remission in February 2020. 

“Every minute of every hour was a struggle in those early days as I laboured to breathe and speak. Eating was out of the question. It was all tubes,” she remembers. 

For people who have been treated for Head and Neck Cancer, a humble bowl of soup is often a lifeline, helping people to survive in the days, weeks and months following treatment, when eating and swallowing can be so difficult. 

Carol is therefore excited to be running the first Soup for the Soul event on the Sunshine Coast in collaboration with members of the support group she started for Head & Neck Cancer patients and their loved ones. The group regularly meets for coffee and brings in speakers on topics such as nutrition, massage for lymphoedema and more. This will be their first annual fundraising event.

The fundraiser which will take place from 5.30 pm on Saturday 23 July will feature best-selling cookbook author, Annette Sym as MC and a range of door prizes, raffles and auction items. Guests will be treated to a drink on arrival; and a meal.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to Head & Neck Cancer Australia. Tickets are now on sale for $50 per person, or $450 for a table of 10.

Read more and purchase tickets at: http://bit.ly/eventheadneck.

Can’t attend but love to support this cause? Donate here now: https://bit.ly/donateheadneckcancer.

Want to donate prizes to the cause for the raffles and auction? Contact: jeffadams3@optusnet.com.au or 0405 478 020.

To learn more about Head and Neck cancer visit www.headandneckcancer.org.au or if you need support call Cancer Council Australia on 13 11 20.

ENDS 

For media enquiries please contact: Yvette Adams – The Creative Collective –
0405 022 977 – info@www.thecreativecollective.com.au

Nadia Rosin at Head and Neck Cancer Australia via mobile on 0422 375 765 or email nadia@headandneckcancer.org.au