The Swallows Australian Edition Magazine
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Head and Neck Cancer<br />
Survivors Support<br />
Network<br />
- New Zealand<br />
<strong>The</strong> Head and Neck Cancer Survivors Support<br />
Network Inc evolved from an Auckland Head<br />
and Neck Cancer Support group run by ORL,<br />
Auckland City Hospital. We untied the apron<br />
strings in 2016 and became an incorporated<br />
society representing head and neck cancer<br />
patients throughout New Zealand and beyond.<br />
Towards the end of 2016 we set up a closed<br />
Facebook group https://www.facebook.com<br />
/groups/1116515895 074395/ and a website,<br />
www.headandneck.network.<br />
Our stated aims are to connect head and neck<br />
cancer patients online, to provide peer support<br />
and finally to advocate to fill unmet needs. We<br />
are pleased with the progress so far with over<br />
100 people connected to us via Facebook and<br />
over 60 on the website. Our advocacy role is<br />
proceeding well. We have been invited to<br />
participate in reviews of services and we are<br />
pushing hard for better dental care.<br />
This year we hope to adjust our name and logo<br />
to reflect our broad reach to all head and neck<br />
people who find us, whether they are newly<br />
diagnosed, long term survivors or in palliative<br />
care. We have adopted a New Zealand bird as<br />
our symbol, the tui, and will eventually<br />
incorporate it into our logo. We are New<br />
Zealand based but here for head and neck<br />
patients and carers from all over the world.<br />
Diana Ayling and Maureen Jansen NZ
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