2 Minutes to Save Your Life: Oracle Launches HeadNeckCheck Campaign for Make Sense Week
This Make Sense Week (15-20 September), the European-wide head and neck cancer awareness initiative, Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK, is championing both prevention and early detection – recognising that stopping cancer before it starts is just as vital as catching it early.
Two Ways to Fight Cancer This Week
Prevention Today: Head and neck cancers are now the largest group of HPV-linked cancers in the UK. We can prevent thousands of future cases through better HPV vaccination coverage, but the NHS Cancer Plan is being finalised right now. That’s why we’re urging everyone to contact their MP this week – your voice could help prevent 100,000+ cancers by 2058.
Early Detection Tomorrow: For those at risk today, we’re teaching the HeadNeckCheck – a simple skill that could save your life.
What is the HeadNeckCheck?
The HeadNeckCheck is a 6-step self-examination that takes just 2 minutes using only a mirror and your hands. No special equipment, no medical knowledge required – just you taking charge of your health.
Build it into your daily routine while brushing teeth, shaving or moisturising. Think of it as a quick health check-in that could catch something early when it matters most.
Why This Matters Now
The statistics are sobering:
- 17,000 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancers yearly in the UK
- Over 50% are diagnosed late, when survival chances drop dramatically
- Cases are rising 30% every decade
Late diagnosis doesn’t just affect survival rates – it means more invasive treatments, longer recovery times, and greater impact on quality of life. But early detection changes everything.
Celebrity Support
Join celebrity supporters Mark Steel and Jordan Wylie, who are demonstrating the HeadNeckCheck in new videos launching throughout the week – showing it really does take just 2 minutes.
Take Action This Week
1. Contact Your MP Help prevent future cancers by emailing your MP about comprehensive HPV vaccination in the NHS Cancer Plan. The plan is being finalised now – your voice matters. We’ve made it easy with a template message.
2. Learn the HeadNeckCheck Visit www.headneckcheck.com for our step-by-step guide. Make it your new monthly habit.
3. Spread the Word Share our videos and use #HeadNeckCheck to help others learn this life-saving skill.
4. Support Our Work Your donation helps us reach more people with vital awareness campaigns. Every pound counts in our fight against head and neck cancer.
Join the Movement
Make Sense Week is about more than awareness – it’s about action. By contacting your MP, you’re protecting future generations from preventable cancers. By taking 2 minutes to check yourself regularly, you’re taking control of your health today. By sharing this message, you could help someone catch cancer early when treatment is most effective.
Remember: prevention and early detection save lives. Your actions this week really could make all the difference.
Thank you to our brilliant Great North Run runners!
This September, two incredible supporters took to the streets of Newcastle for the Great North Run, the world’s largest half marathon, and we couldn’t be prouder of them both. Beth Robinson Scales completed the 13.1-mile route in searing heat, raising over £3,800 for Oracle. Beth ran in honour of her husband Steve, following his recurrence, and…
Bringing the UK’s head and neck oncology community together
The Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK Oncology Meeting 2026 takes place tomorrow, Friday 25th September, at The Milner Hotel, York. Now in its third year under the Oracle umbrella, this free educational meeting brings together head and neck oncology specialists from around 40 centres across the UK, spanning radiography, nursing, clinical and medical oncology,…
October Webinar: Immunotherapy & Other Developing Treatments
Professor Kevin Harrington explores the latest immunotherapy treatments for head and neck cancer in our upcoming webinar on 6 October.
Mark Hodgson walks 310km in August for Oracle Head and Neck Cancer UK
A Leeds private investigator who was treated for stage 4 cancer of the throat and tongue is walking 10 kilometres every day throughout August for Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK. He has already passed his original £10,000 target, with 11 days of the challenge still to run. Mark Hodgson is a director of Tremark Associates, a Leeds…
September Webinar: Understanding Head & Neck cancer late effects in survivorship.
From cure to consequence:
Understanding Head & Neck cancer late effects in survivorship.
Thursday 10 September 2026
18:00 – 19:00 pm
Our Late Effects webinar will feature Sabina Khan and Emma Hallam, Macmillan Consultant Radiographers. Both specialise in head and neck post-treatment late effects. They’ll be joined by patient Karen Liesching-Schroder, who will share the patient perspective drawing on her experience of diagnosis, treatment and late effects.
Oracle launches new webinar series to support Head & Neck Cancer Patients
Oracle Head & Neck Cancer has launched its new webinar series for anyone newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer. First in the series ‘I’ve just been diagnosed. What now?” features retired Consultant Oncologist Professor Dr Mehmet Sen and patient speaker Hazel Turner. They share expert advice and personal experience to help patients and…
Newsletter June 2026
Julie Child, Executive Director It’s been a whirlwind five months since I started at Oracle Head and Neck Cancer UK. Thanks to your support and donations, the charity was successful in its Emergency Appeal and managed to secure the funds required to go forward. I’ve been very fortunate to meet a number of supporters, both…
Using the power of football to help prevent cancer
This week, Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK has launched an important awareness campaign in partnership with Bromley FC, using the reach of football to shine a light on head and neck cancer prevention and the life-saving importance of the HPV vaccine. Throughout the week, Bromley FC is sharing trusted health information with its supporters,…
Cancer Care: Why Mental Health Support Must Be Part of Every Cancer Journey
Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK is proud to support the Daily Express Cancer Care campaign, a powerful series that shines a light on the often unseen emotional toll of cancer – and the urgent need for better psychological support for everyone affected. The campaign published over the past three weeks featured voices from across…
Ground-breaking blood test shows promise for early detection of head & neck and other hard-to-screen cancers
A new large-scale trial has found that the blood-based screening test known as Galleri test can detect more than 50 types of cancer – including cancers of the head and neck, which currently have no routine screening programme – and may significantly boost early diagnosis. The trial showed that, when used alongside existing screening methods,…
Help Beat Head and Neck Cancer
Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1142037), and in Scotland (SC052790).
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (7125497). Registered address: 167-169, Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London W1W 5PF.