Resources and organisations
There are many organisations, support groups, books, videos and other resources available to help you cope with salivary gland cancer and treatment.
Cancer Research UK information and support
Cancer Research UK is the largest cancer research organisation in the world outside the USA. We fund research on all aspects of cancer from its causes to prevention and treatment.
We are committed to producing high quality information for people affected by cancer. As well as looking at the information on this website you can call our nurse freephone helpline on 0808 800 4040. They are available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Or you can send them a question online.
Cancer Chat is our online forum where you can share experiences.
Head and neck cancer organisations and websites
This UK based charity works to improve standards of mouth care. Their website has good information on cancer and caring for your mouth.
The Oral Health Foundation was called the British Dental Health Foundation until 2016.
Changing Faces provide support and information for people who have any form of facial disfigurement including disfigurement caused by cancer. They also provide a skin camouflage service for people in England and Scotland. Trained volunteers teach people how to apply specialist cover creams.
Phone: 0300 0120 275 (support and advice line)
Head office email: info@changingfaces.org.uk
The contact details for the skin camouflage service are:
Phone: 0300 0120 276
Email: skincam@changingfaces.org.uk
This UK organisation for people with facial disfigurement offers:
- telephone support
- a service to link up people in similar situations
- dietary and medical advice
- social activities
- resources and a newsletter
Mouth Cancer Foundation is a charity that supports people affected by head and neck cancer. Its website has information about mouth, throat and other head and neck cancers. The website also has a forum and information on local support groups.
Tel: 01924 950 950 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm)
Saving Faces is funding education and research to improve medical treatment and support for people after facial surgery.
Sometimes it can be helpful to talk to someone who has been in a similar situation. Saving Faces can put you in touch with other people who have had facial surgery.
Phone: 020 3417 7757
Email: info@savingfaces.co.uk
Support organisations
This organisation has detailed information about camouflage cosmetics for people who need help to cover up scars and disfigurements after head and neck surgery. It also runs training courses for camouflage cosmeticians.
Tel.: 01254 703 107
The Rare Cancer Forum has several message boards so people with less common or rarer cancers can get in touch with each other. Friends and families of people with rarer cancers can also use the message boards to share their experiences, give support or get advice from people in similar situations.
Macmillan Cancer Support is a charity that gives practical, medical and financial support to people with cancer in the UK. Its helpline gives guidance on cancer and advice on benefits. It also publishes booklets about cancer and treatments. Information is available in other languages.
Freephone: 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm)
Contact email form
Maggie’s is a national charity with centres across the UK. They offer care and support to people affected by cancer. Each centre is beside an NHS cancer hospital and is run by specialist staff.
You can join a support group, take part in weekly sessions like relaxation and stress management, or learn about nutrition and health. You can also visit just to have a cup of tea and a friendly chat.
Phone: 0300 123 1801
Email: enquiries@maggiescentres.org
Stop smoking organisations
Stopping smoking can be hard, but free services and treatments are able to help.
Quit smoking is an NHS website dedicated to helping people stop smoking. The website has information on how to quit smoking, as well as information on the NHS Quit smoking app.
Cancer Research UK has information and tips on quitting smoking.
ASH is a portal for tobacco policies. It is a campaigning public health charity that is trying to stop the harm caused by tobacco.
The British Heart Foundation has tips on quitting smoking.
International organisations and websites
This American organisation provides information about head and neck cancers.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is an American organisation funding cancer research.
The NCI website has information on all different types of cancer, including salivary gland cancer.
SPOHNC
SPOHNC is an American support network for people with cancers of the head and neck. The organisation can put people who've had head and neck cancer in touch with each other.
They also have some useful information about clinical trials and about products that might be helpful.
Books from libraries, bookshops or online booksellers
This book has been produced by a patient, Brenda Brady, and her husband in association with the Mouth Cancer Foundation.
The book has tips for anyone who has difficulty chewing and swallowing food. It contains 40 pages of recipes and tips, from various people. Contributors include fellow patients and celebrity chefs Nigella Lawson, Rick Stein, Antony Worrall Thompson and Phil Vickery.
Dr Terry Priestman
Sheldon Press, 2009
ISBN 978-1847090805
Gives information about chemotherapy, its side effects, and how to cope with them. Also discusses the effect of chemotherapy on everyday life, including tiredness, sex life and fertility, social life, work, holidays, exercise and diet.
Dr Terry Priestman
Sheldon Press, 2007
ISBN 9780859699990
Gives information about radiotherapy, its side effects, and how to cope with them. Also discusses the effect of radiotherapy on everyday life, including social life, work, travel, exercise and diet.
Dr Terry Priestman
Sheldon Press, 2009
ISBN 9781847090485
This handbook deals frankly and sensitively with the issues of cure, follow up, treatment side effects and recurrence. It looks at the support available to people who have finished their treatment.
Booklets and factsheets from other organisations
From Macmillan Cancer Support
- Understanding cancer of the head and neck (also available on audio CD )
- Healthy eating and cancer
- Coping with advanced cancer (also available on audio CD)
- Managing cancer pain (previous version on audio CD)
- Managing the symptoms of cancer
- Talking with someone who has cancer (also available on audio CD)
- Cancer and your sex life - information for women
- Cancer and your sex life - information for men
- Understanding chemotherapy (also available on audio CD)
- Understanding radiotherapy (also available on audio CD)
- Coping with hair loss (also available on audio CD)
- Coping with fatigue (also available on audio CD)
- Talking to children and teenagers when an adult has cancer (also available on audio CD)
- Talking about cancer
- Understanding clinical trials
- How are you feeling? The emotional effects of cancer (also available on audio CD)
- Life after cancer treatment (also available on audio CD)
Healthtalk.org
Provides free, reliable information about health issues including mental health, by sharing people's real-life experiences.
Find local cancer information and support
The NHS website helps you to find local cancer information and support in England.
