My Living Beyond Mouth & Face Cancer Support Group is raising funds for personal protective equipment and ways of supporting patients remotely.

I am Gill, a teacher in Sheffield, and 5 months ago had a rare tumour called Ameloblastoma removed by Mr Nusrath and his amazing team. I had half my lower mandible replaced with my fibula and parts of my mouth rebuilt using tissue from my left leg where my fibula was removed. I will forever be in debt to Mr Nusrath and the staff at Charles Clifford and the Royal Hallamshire Hospital for the outstanding care I received prior, during and after my surgery. I am recovering very well and am so grateful for our wonderful NHS. I am also a member of Living Beyond Mouth Cancer - an invaluable support group - and this cause is obviously very close to my, and my family’s, heart.

I am now championing the cause of Living Beyond Mouth Cancer in the face of Covid-19 and the particular challenges this poses to Head & Neck clinicians such as Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons/ Head & Neck Nurses / Dentists/ ENT Surgeons/ Opthalmic Surgeons/ Front Line Health Care Workers. These clinicians work within 30-50 cms of the mouth and nose which are the most infected areas in terms of Covid 19; this puts them at very high risk of acquiring the infection.

Patients who are affected with head and neck cancers (and are undergoing treatments) are also at high risk of acquiring the infection and will benefit from PPE. Patients who are permanent neck breathers with open wounds are at higher risk of acquiring, and passing on, the infection to family members: therefore, PPE will be required by the family members for maximum protection. Any patients undergoing Chemo Radiotherapy are at increased risk and will benefit from PPE such as masks.

An App is also being looked at to help with minimising the visits of Cancer patients who are elderly to the hospital for reviews; your donation will directly contribute to this and to getting vital equipment to extremely vulnerable people during this pandemic.

Mr Muzzammil Nusrath, Consultant Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon at Sheffield & Doncaster and founder of Living Beyond Mouth Cancer and his team, are raising funds specifically for this in the area of South Yorkshire/North Derbyshire. Please contribute any amount you can – it really will make a difference to staff and patients alike.

A 5k walk/run is being organised in Aug/Sep to support this – further details to follow.