Welcome back everyone!
We kicked off our first meeting for 2024 with a record-breaking attendance of 24 members – 9 online and 15 at the Peter Mac Wellbeing Centre!
Peter Mac’s Director of Prevention, Geri McDonald and, CEO, Jason Payne were this month’s guest speakers, and they were able to give us a great insight into what is happening behind the scenes at Peter Mac as well as an update on one of our big passion projects for the HNC community - Peer Navigator program. We thank Jason and Geri for spending the time to stay behind and answer questions too, always a bonus when our members aren’t shy to ask our guests some questions. Jason and Geri shared insights into funding, advocacy, the national cancer plan and challenges related to survivorship. We can’t wait to see their vision for improving Peter Mac patient and carers’ experience come to life.
We also welcomed six new members which is a mixed of sad and wonderful! Sad that there are more people experiencing Head and Neck cancer but really is wonderful that they have been able to find out support group so easily. Something we hope continues, and we also hope the support the group offer continues to be of benefit no matter how many weeks, months or years you’ve been part of the group.
It was also very pleasing that this month we were able to welcome two new carers to the group. As we know, being a carer can be emotionally and physically draining and we want to be able to help those who have taken on the carer role just as much as we want to support those have had to undertake treatment for head and neck cancer.
We were able to celebrate the wonderful news of a few of our members (editor note – Lora don’t be bashful) getting some media coverage to lift the profile of head and neck cancer in general as well as the amazing things we are still able to achieve post treatment (yes Elisse I’m looking at you and your amazing flute playing!) and we were also able to celebrate some members marking cancer free milestone! Always uplifting to finish on good news so again a big congratulations to Margo who is 20 years post treatment and Craig who received the all clear after his treatment ended last year.
We look forward to seeing you all in the next meeting in March. You can register here.