2024 marked the 30th anniversary of the Get A-Head Charitable Trust.
We are a grant-giving charity, based in England and Wales, working to make life better for those experiencing head and neck cancer. Whether that’s the patient, carer, healthcare professional or other.
We fund research, education, patient support and equipment.
Formed in the Midlands in 1994 by John Watkinson and Adrian Drake-Lee – two of the UK’s leading ear, nose and throat surgeons – our role has been to support people with head and neck diseases, especially cancer, to live better lives.
We answer requests for help from individuals, researchers and treatment centres across the UK, funding life-changing equipment that isn’t available on the NHS, research into the causes and treatment of head and neck conditions, particularly cancer, continuing education for healthcare professionals and complementary therapies to help improve the lives of patients.
Find out ways you can get involved by supporting us, attending an event, donating, fundraising – or helping us raise awareness, by following and engaging with us on social media.
Any cancer diagnosis is tough, but when it affects the head and neck cancer can take more than your physical and emotional well-being – it can take the ability to speak, hear and see as well as take some of the facial features that make us who we are.
We believe it’s important to provide a space for patients and carers now, through funding groups and direct patient support. But also, working nationally in our role within the Head and Neck Cancer Coalition, pooling resources and voice, to affect policy change and make a real lasting difference.
Sharing information via lecturing on relevant courses, producing editorials and reviews in associated medical journals, assisting specialist training for nurses and other key personnel are all areas where Get A-Head can help.
Sometimes these developments are time-consuming and expensive. This is where we can help by funding specialist research fellowships into thyroid cancer and supporting the consumable costs.
Many of the larger, more specialised pieces of equipment just cannot be funded by the NHS, so this is where Get A-Head can help.
Join us for one of our fundraising events
Get A-Head works to improve life for people with head and neck cancer, but we can’t do it without you!
There are plenty of ways you can help, from organising a coffee morning or running a half marathon to raising money to help us spread the word about what we do.
Perhaps your organisation has a charity partnerships programme? We’d love to hear your ideas, please get in touch here.
You can also check the upcoming events page to find an event to get involved in, or contact us to discuss an idea of your own.
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