The European Head and Neck Cancer Community Comes Together to Make Sense of This Rare Form of Cancer

BRUSSELS, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Today the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) announce the start of the Make Sense campaign's sixth annual head and neck cancer awareness week (17 - 21 September). Patients, physicians and the head and neck cancer community will come together to make this form of rare cancer recognisable.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/739902/Make_Sense_and_EHNS_Logo.jpg)

Teams around Europe, Brazil and South Korea will bring attention to the often-unrecognised signs and symptoms head and neck cancer, stress the importance of early diagnosis, and promote the interests of patients from diagnosis, throughout treatment into survivorship. Activities include:

• Unrecognisable - A digital campaign bringing attention to the physical and psychological impacts of head and neck cancer

• Making Meals Make Sense - A cookbook, developed in partnership with people who have had head and neck cancer, physicians, nutritionists and speech therapists. The cookbook provides nutritious recipes, alongside personal experiences and advice on overcoming the physical and mental challenges of eating following treatment

• Early Diagnosis Day clinics - Where the public can receive a free head and neck cancer screening, as well as information on the disease

"The Campaign would not be the success it is today, without the dedication of the local teams across Europe, Brazil and South Korea," said, Professor René Leemans, Chair of the Make Sense campaign steering committee and Professor and Chief of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam. "Their commitment and expertise have played a vital role, in raising awareness of this devastating disease, ultimately saving lives."

In addition to the Cookbook, the Campaign continues to work closely with our patient network to ensure all activities focus on helping patients through this process. This week a variety of activities including educational lectures and digital activities will take place across Europe. Visit the updated Make Sense website, for a full summary of the activities taking place across Europe and elsewhere.

About the Make Sense Campaign

The Make Sense campaign, run by the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS), aims to raise awareness of head and neck cancer and ultimately improve outcomes for patients with the disease. It will do this through:

• Education on disease prevention

• Driving understanding of the signs and symptoms of the disease

• Encouraging earlier presentation, diagnosis and referral

The Make Sense campaign is supported by Merck, Norgine and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

About Head and Neck Cancer

Each year, just under 700,000 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer worldwide, and half of those will not be alive after five years. However, if diagnosed at the early stages 80 - 90% of head and neck cancer patients will survive. For more information, visit: http://www.makesensecampaign.eu/.

About the EHNS

The European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) is an international non-profit association based in Belgium. The EHNS is composed of national and multinational societies, and associated study groups oriented towards head and neck cancer research, training and treatment throughout Europe. Individuals from the rest of the world are also welcome to apply for membership. The intent of the EHNS is to promote exchange of knowledge in all aspects of head and neck neoplastic diseases and to promote the highest standards of research, education and training, disease prevention and patient care. For more information, please visit: http://www.ehns.org/.

Source: EHNS

Media contacts:

Edward Brightman

phone +44(0)20-3595-2430

e-mail: edward@makesensecampaign.eu