The Get A-Head Charitable Trust has awarded more than £10,000 in education grants in 2026 to support the professional development of healthcare specialists working with head and neck cancer patients across the UK. The grants, totalling £10,087, have been awarded to five healthcare professionals working across nursing, surgery and speech and language therapy. Each award supports training or education that NHS budgets are currently unable to fund, helping to raise standards of care for patients with some of the most complex and life-changing cancers.
Danni Heath, director of Get A-Head, said: “Head and neck cancer patients have needs that require specialist knowledge and skills across a wide range of disciplines. Investing in the professional development of the people who care for them is one of the most direct ways we can improve diagnosis, treatment and aftercare for patients.
“NHS education budgets are under real pressure and that has consequences for patients. These grants ensure that committed healthcare professionals can access the training they need to deliver the best care for their patients. That is something we feel very strongly about at Get A-Head.”
The five grants awarded to date in 2026 are:
Andrea Nelson, head and neck Macmillan nurse, London Northwest University Healthcare: A grant of £195 supported Andrea to attend the BAHNO 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting, an international head and neck oncology conference covering current practice and research. With more than 20 years of experience as a head and neck clinical nurse specialist, Andrea will use the learning to keep patients informed about the latest treatment options, including recently NICE-approved neoadjuvant immunotherapy.
Keshav Gupta, ENT registrar, West Midlands Deanery and PhD candidate, University of Dundee: The largest single award of £6,903 was made in tuition fee support for Keshav’s PhD, entitled “Quality of Life and Safety Outcomes in Transoral Robotic Surgery for Head and Neck Cancer.” The research will help clinicians and patients make better-informed decisions about surgical treatment by gathering detailed data on quality of life and functional outcomes including swallowing and speech. This is particularly relevant as head and neck cancer increasingly affects younger patients without traditional risk factors such as smoking.
Lily Smyth, advanced speech and language therapist, Queen Victoria Hospital: A grant of £184 covered travel costs for Lily to attend a five-day advanced course at Imperial College London on laryngectomy rehabilitation and surgical voice restoration. NHS funding covered the course fees but not travel. The training will help ensure continuity of specialist care for laryngectomy patients at a hospital where only two speech and language therapists cover this area.
Mollie Smith, head and neck oncology sister, James Paget University Hospital: A grant of £1,400 supported Mollie’s tuition fees for the Fundamentals in Cancer Care masters module at the Royal Marsden. The course covers cancer biology, treatment pathways, symptom management, survivorship and the psychosocial impact of cancer, all directly relevant to the needs of head and neck cancer patients.
Zoya Saeed, speech and language therapist, Queen Elizabeth Hospital/University Hospitals Birmingham: A grant of £1,375 enabled Zoya to attend an advanced laryngectomy course at Imperial College London, covering an online module and five days of in-person training. Working in a major cancer centre with a larger than average laryngectomy caseload, the training will strengthen the team’s skills in surgical voice restoration, directly benefiting patients facing permanent changes to communication and swallowing following surgery.
Get A-Head, which was founded more than 30 years ago, exists to fund research, education, specialist equipment provision and patient support for the benefit of people with head and neck cancer. The charity raised more than £220,000 in 2024/25, distributing over £194,000 in grants.
