The Head and Neck Cancer Alliance is proud to announce the recipient of this year's Distinguished Service Award, Dr. Itzhak Brook, in recognition of his decades of contributions to the organization as a board member and ambassador and to head and neck cancer patients worldwide.
 

Dr. Brook was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2006, and two years later, he had his larynx removed. Since becoming a laryngectomee, Dr. Brook has devoted his time and efforts to improving head and neck cancer patient care, preventing medical errors, and presenting educational lectures about his experience as a head and neck cancer patient.  His two books have been invaluable contributions to patients. His second book, the Laryngectomee Guide Expanded Edition, has been published in 28 languages.
 

This award, handed out at the Alliance’s annual Head and Neck Survivorship Symposium, recognizes and honors his years of dedicated support to the Head & Neck Cancer Alliance's mission and continued advocacy on behalf of head and neck cancer patients.
 

Amanda Hollinger, Executive Director, said, “Dr. Brook embodies the meaning of a servant leader. Since his first diagnosis in 2006, he has made it his mission to educate and assist other laryngectomy patients.”

The Head & Neck Cancer Alliance’s ambassador program, which Dr. Brook is a part of, is an initiative that brings together survivors, caregivers, and advocates who are passionate about making a difference in the fight against head and neck cancer. These dedicated individuals work tirelessly to share their stories, provide guidance, and support patients and survivors on their journey to recovery.

Leonard Black
Loving Husband | Retired, Former Director of the Bureau of State Use Industries/DEPTCOR, NJDOC | 
Professional Ski Instructor, Stratton Mountain, Vermont  | Clermont, FL, Survivor of Laryngeal Cancer  

In 2017, Len’s voice started growing progressively hoarse. In 2020, after many doctor visits, he was told he had stage IV squamous cell cancer of the vocal cords.  

He had the option of chemotherapy and radiation or a total laryngectomy. Len decided to proceed with the laryngectomy.  “I wanted the cancer out of my body!“

Len believes that there is no question he would not have progressed or healed well without the support and care of his loving wife Margaret.  “This is not something one can recover from by oneself. It takes a village; more importantly, it takes a caregiver,” added Len. 

Since his surgery, Len has become active in laryngectomy clubs in Boston and Orlando (where he lives when not in Vermont).  He has also joined the International Association of Laryngectomees, Lary’s Speakeasy, and WebWhispers.   

“It is my strong desire to help others who have been afflicted by this type of cancer.  There is always hope, and I have been fortunate to be able to return to skiing, the sport I love.  The kids I teach have been great and are an inspiration.  They ask me why I talk funny, and I tell them I had cancer, and my voice box was removed so now I sound like this.  They say, ‘OK’ and we all go on skiing!”  

Volunteer for Xerostomia Research! Do you have experience with xerostomia (dry mouth) or know someone who does? Help make a difference in xerostomia treatment by sharing your insights in a quick, informal 15-minute conversation with Dr. Donna Bandy from Oklahoma State University. We’re calling on healthcare providers, researchers, patients, caregivers, and anyone with knowledge about xerostomia to participate. Your voice matters! Why Participate? ✅ Support xerostomia research ✅ Share your experience to advance treatments ✅ Chance to win a $100 or $50 Amazon gift card! 🔗 swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/xerostomia-research 

As part of UC Davis Health's ongoing efforts to improve mental health care for head and neck cancer patients, we invite you to participate in an anonymous research survey designed to understand better your experience and preference for receiving mental health care. Your feedback is invaluable and will empower physicians to provide more informed support and recommend more effective treatment options.

The anonymous survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. We invite anyone with a history of head and neck cancer to fill it out.Thank you for your time and consideration.

To participate, please click the link below:

https://tinyurl.com/HNCASurvey

Olivia Filanowski, a second year speech-language pathology student with A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences, needs your help. 

She is working to complete a voice banking research study with the supervision and guidance of Dr. Maria Centeno-Vazquez. The project is entitled “The Value of Voice Banking: Exploring the Perspectives of Stakeholders.” Her objective is to gather information regarding participants' experience and perspectives on the topic of voice banking.  

If you'd like to help with her survey, click below:  https://atsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6mvoVbMMVnrbKNo

REVIEW US ON GOOGLE!
If our programs and materials have made a difference to you, please consider reviewing us on Google.

Your review will help make us more visible so other patients, survivors, and caregivers can easily find us while searching online!

To write a review, you'll need to sign up for a free Gmail account.  

PICTURE THIS!

We're looking for pictures of real people to use on our new website (coming soon), brochures, and social media.  We don't want to use boring stock photos! Your photos could provide hope and inspiration to others going through head and neck cancer!

If we use your photo, we'll send you some Alliance "swag" (featuring our new logo that we will unveil soon) and provide photo credit on our website and social media.