Helping Patients Eat and Drink and Live More Confidently
For many people, finishing treatment for head and neck cancer is a huge milestone. But for some, recovery brings new challenges that can have a lasting impact on everyday life.
One of the most common is dysphagia – difficulty swallowing. It can make eating and drinking stressful, affect confidence in social situations, and increase the risk of food or drink entering the airway (known as aspiration). Many people also experience a weak cough, making it harder to clear saliva and mucus from their throat and chest. Together, these problems can affect health, independence and quality of life long after cancer treatment has ended.
At Oasis Cancer Trust, we believe that recovery doesn’t stop when treatment finishes. That’s why we’re funding Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) devices for patients receiving rehabilitation following head and neck cancer treatment.
These simple handheld devices are designed to strengthen the muscles involved in breathing, coughing and swallowing. Used as part of a specialist rehabilitation programme led by speech and language therapists, EMST can help patients develop a stronger cough to clear secretions more effectively. This is particularly important for people recovering from head and neck cancer, who often struggle with managing saliva and mucus because of the effects of surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
A stronger cough can also help protect the lungs by reducing the risk of aspiration-related chest infections. At the same time, strengthening the muscles involved in swallowing may help make eating and drinking safer and more comfortable for some patients.
While an EMST device may seem like a small piece of equipment, its impact can be significant. For many people, improvements in swallowing and coughing can mean greater confidence at mealtimes, fewer worries about chest infections, and a renewed sense of independence in everyday life.
This is exactly the kind of practical support that Oasis Cancer Trust is proud to provide. Through the generosity of our supporters, we are able to fund equipment that might not otherwise be available, giving patients access to innovative rehabilitation tools that can make a real difference during recovery.