Support Group Profile
Heads Together
Louise Marley (left) with patients and family at the Heads Together patient group meeting
Heads Together has been running in one form or
another for nine years. In the early days it was
intended solely for larys, but has recently widened
its focus to include cancer and maxilofacial
patients too.
Members come from all over Sheffield, Chesterfield
and Barnsley to get involved, and the group is
growing all the time. Macmillan Clinical Nurses,
Louise and Tracy currently run the group and
do everything they can to get new members on
board and keep the group firing on all cylinders.
Certainly if the meeting we attended was anything
to go by, they don’t have any trouble in getting
current members to chip in and have fun.
That’s because Heads Together is a friendly,
talkative group with lots to say. Each meeting
is split into two sections. First there’s usually
a presentation by a guest speaker – in the past
they’ve had Benefits Advisors, psychologists,
dietitians, and Cavendish Cancer Centre
representatives for example. That comes with a
4 THE VOICE | Summer 2010
Q&A session and any group business, before the
serious stuff begins – the talking.
Members really enjoy the chance to relax together
and have a good chat. It’s one of the things that
they really prize about Heads Together. This is
a group that really feels like a little community
– and one that’s happy to share their ideas and
experiences.
Heads Together is a busy group choc-full of bright
ideas. As well as meeting every other month, they
keep members up to date with their own quarterly
newsletter. They enjoy a big trip every year too.
Last year, a great time was had by all at a very wet
Chatsworth. This year we hope the group enjoyed
better weather for their trip to York. But as Louise
says, “We always have a great time come rain or
shine, and it’s nice for us to get out and about and
have fun in each other’s company.”
Back in April they organised quite a different kind
of event – the Head and Neck Study Day. Designed