Today is World Mental Health Day 💚
Oracle supports World Mental Health Day as it highlights the challenges many people have coping in difficult times, particularly health workers in our NHS and around Europe.
A head and neck cancer diagnosis can take a significant emotional toll, not only on the patient but also on their loved ones. The challenges – ranging from anxiety and uncertainty to the emotional exhaustion of treatment – can deeply affect mental health for everyone involved. Family members and friends often face their own struggles while providing support.
At Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK, we recognise the important connection between mental health and cancer care. That’s why we encourage patients, families, and carers to prioritise mental well-being throughout the cancer journey.
On this #WorldMentalHealthDay, let’s prioritise mental health, seek help when needed, and support one another through the challenges of illness. You are not alone.
Here’s how we offer support:
🤝 Oracle Support Facebook Group: A safe and supportive community for patients, carers, and families to connect, share experiences, and find advice.
📚 Patients and Carers Page: Our website provides essential resources, guidance, and support to help individuals navigate their cancer journey from diagnosis to recovery.
💚 Other Support Groups: we partner with a number of organisations who offer peer to peer support to patients and carers.
Coding for a cause: highlights from the Oracle Hackathon
On Friday 6 November, 12 talented students from UCL and the University of Manchester joined us at Pemberton Asset Management‘s London office for the Oracle Hackathon. Working in pairs, they had just one day to build a tool to help with our fundraising activities. Julie Child, our Executive Director, said: “A huge thank you to every…
Julian Gilbert joins Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK as a trustee
Julian Gilbert, founder of Wealth Matters and a long-standing fundraiser who has had head and Neck Cancer, has joined our board of trustees.
Newsletter October 2026
Julie Child, Executive Director Last week, we held our annual Oncology Meeting in York, attended by 150 clinicians from across the UK. Being able to thank those who support our work was so valuable, and to hear about the progress being made behind the scenes to improve patient outcomes. Our research projects at Oxford, UCL,…
Martyn Dipper shares his cancer story
In September 2021, I was sitting in a car outside a hospital having just been told I had T4 throat cancer. The tumour was too large to operate on. Within weeks I was offered a place on TORPEdO – the first clinical trial in the UK to study Proton Beam Therapy for throat cancer –…
Eating well after head and neck cancer treatment: join our November webinar
A specialist dietitian and a patient talk about food, swallowing and eating out after head and neck cancer treatment.
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.
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.