“Our newsletters go directly into
people’s homes. It’s a different
approach to clubs; while they
do exceptional work, they’re
not right for everybody”
Carole Stainton, Cancer Laryngectomee Trust
The fact that the Cancer Laryngectomee Trust
(CLT) is still thriving is testament to the vision
of founder, Sydney Norgate, and the efforts
of the charity’s current Trustees – three of
Sydney’s daughters. We spoke to one of them,
Carole Stainton, to find out more about the
service the CLT provides today, and how it
continues to offer such an invaluable resource
to thousands of members.
Following on from our overview of the CLT last
issue, we wanted to get straight up to date with
the Trust’s most recent successes. Carole singles
out the CLT Travel Guide for special mention. “It’s
been very successful. In fact, given that hospitals
keep changing their telephone numbers and
contact details, we’re about to update it again for
2010.”
The Travel Guide is a great example of the sort of
enterprise that led to the CLT being set up in the
first place. Back in the mid eighties Sydney was
surprised to find that such a support network for
laryngectomees and tracheostomees didn’t exist.
That’s why he started one. And the Travel Guide
came about in the same sort of way.
“Member Paul Cantlie put it together for us
because, as with my father, he couldn’t believe it
didn’t exist already.” The Travel Guide provides a
handy list of all ENT departments in the British
Isles, together with Emergency notices (complete
with French, German and Spanish translations).
26 THE VOICE | Summer 2010
“It’s a really important document for every
Laryngectomee who wants to lead a ‘normal’ life.
While most members, fortunately, haven’t had to
use it, just knowing it’s there gives them a great
sense of security.”
Talking to Carole it’s easy to see how the Trust
has continued to break new ground and work hard
for its members. Working with her sisters, she’s
deeply committed to making the Trust as useful to
members as it possibly can be, and to carrying on
the good work her father started.
One of the big draws for many new members is
Sydney’s book, Laryngectomy Is Not A Tragedy.
(New members can request a free copy on joining.)
Even though it was first published back in the
eighties, and even though surgical techniques
have changed a lot, it remains such a positive
account of the laryngectomy process that it’s just
as beneficial to larys now as it was then.
Carole says, “My father had a great love of
literature and of the power of language, and his
book is full of warmth and wit. It doesn’t even
matter that some things have moved on since
it was written, because in other ways, very little
has changed. New patients still have the same
sorts of concerns, and still need some of the same
reassurances.”
That sense