Chatterbox
Head and Neck Cancer Support Group
Getting together with the good people at
the Chatterbox Club in Bristol is a lot of fun.
Partly that’s because this is such an eclectic
group and members have a lot of different
interests. Partly it’s because it’s such an
informal group. But mostly it’s because
these people obviously enjoy sharing each
other’s company. There’s always a lot of
laughter at a Chatterbox meeting.
A lot of the credit for that has to go to
long-time chairman and co-founder, Tony.
Tony helped set up the Chatterbox Club
twelve years ago, and has been chairing
its meetings ever since. He’s very modest
about that, suggesting that it’s a role he’s
fallen into. But he’s come up with a format
that really works.
Chatterbox meetings are very informal.
There’s no organising committee, no set
itinerary and no meeting minutes – just lots
of opportunities for members to, well, chat.
And that’s what they do best.
Why club meetings are so important
One of the great things about the
Chatterbox Club is that it feels really close
knit – like this group of people has been
together for years. But that’s not the case.
Like any club, the membership fluctuates.
New members join up regularly and it’s
really inspiring to see how quickly they’re
welcomed into the club. In no time at all,
they’ll feel right at home here.
Each meeting gives every attendee the
chance to talk about their month and
discuss anything – good or bad – that has
happened. There’s a real feeling of support
and togetherness here which makes
22 THE VOICE | Autumn 2011
confiding in others very easy. It’s something
laryngectomy groups do very well, and
Chatterbox group members know it’s a key
part in the rehabilitation process.
We saw a great example of that at the
meeting we attended in February 2011. A
new member, Peter, was making his second
visit to the club, just five weeks after his
laryngectomy surgery. Amazingly, that
means his first visit was only five days after
his operation!
Peter says he’s feeling, “on top of the world”.
So what helped him make that huge
adjustment so quickly? Chatterbox Club
members are nothing less than devoted in
their efforts to smooth the transition from
pre to post lary life.
Many of them visit
the wards to talk
to people about to
undergo surgery –
and it really helps.