We met again outdoors in August, after a break in July when many members took advantage of the end of restrictions to go on holiday. Before Covid we held our meetings in a pub but members were not ready yet to meet indoors.

As can be seen in the photograph we were blessed with a wonderful summer’s day. There was much news to catch up on about holidays and family events, and more seriously some health issues. Some familiar laryngectomee topics of how long valves were lasting without a leak, using nystatin to combat candida and the best shower guard also cropped up.

As autumn approaches we are hoping to have found a new indoor base where we can hold our meetings, but one exclusive to our members and not the general public, to lessen the Covid risk.

Information and data empower decision making. The past 18 months have seen unexpected challenges arising from the Covid pandemic. Laryngectomees, breathing through a neck stoma, are vulnerable hence research about what has happened since March 2020 is to be welcomed.

A large-scale survey was carried out in the UK  and the results have now been published:

SURVEY

Patients not only provided the information by responding and completing the survey but also contributed to the analysis of the results. As always NALC made a valuable contribution.