Emma backs appeal

Chronicle and Macmillan ‘Have a Good Day’ campaign
EMMA Riley, the UK’s only Macmillan oral health practitioner, has joined the call for Oldhamers to support the “Have a Good Day” appeal.

Based at the Royal Oldham Hospital, Emma is giving her backing to the appeal — launched by the charity in partnership with the Chronicle — and asking readers to raise £369.

That is the average amount of a Macmillan grant, and all money raised during the campaign will be given out to give a good day to as many Oldham people as possible who are living with cancer.

Emma, who works with people affected by head and neck cancers, said: “Mine is the first Macmillan role of its kind.

“Macmillan is acknowledging the importance of oral health and the effect this has on patients’ treatment, rehabilitation and quality of life.

In 2007, mouth cancer affected 5,410 people nationwide and led to 1,851 deaths — greater than the number of deaths from cervical and testicular cancer combined.

Mouth cancer has increased faster than any other cancer in Britain in the last 25 years.

Mr Andrew Baldwin, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, based at North Manchester General Hospital, carries out surgery on Oldham people with mouth cancer.

He said that mouth cancer affects a part of the body that is easy to examine, and if detected and treated early, has an 80 per cent five-year survival rate.

But despite that, most people are diagnosed only in the late stages of the disease, when the five-year survival rate can fall below 50 per cent.

Mr Baldwin said: “This is a difficult disease to treat in the late stages, so even those who survive may be left with facial disfigurement and functional disability.”

The last decade has seen mouth cancers increase by a fifth and become more common in younger people.

The main risk factors are tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, though some people are affected who do neither.

Only three out of 10 people are aware white patches in the mouth are something that needs to be checked.

Mr Baldwin says if someone has a growth or noticeable change in their mouth which lasts for more than three weeks, and doctors can’t be confident it is benign, they should be referred for an urgent specialist opinion.


Pub regulars add their support
ROYTON pub landlord Alan Gibson and his customers are poised to be the first to give someone in Oldham with cancer a good day.

Alan teamed up with restaurant promoter Tony Duff to lay on a three-course Sunday lunch to celebrate the launch of the restaurant at The Haggate, Middleton Road.

Guests were asked to make a donation to Macmillan Cancer Support and they raised £300.

And when Alan read about the launch of the joint campaign between the Chronicle and the charity, he contacted local fundraiser Rose Tipton to offer his support.

Over the next 12 months, 20p from every meal sold will go to the campaign, and Alan said it would soon hit its first £369 target to give someone in Oldham “A Good Day”.

He said: “A lot of my customers have been affected by cancer, and I felt that it was such a good cause that I wanted to join the campaign and see how much we can raise to help local people affected by cancer.”

Delighted at Alan’s swift response after the appeal was launched on Monday, Rose said: “I am urging other businesses and the people of Oldham to get behind this campaign and follow Alan’s example.

“All of the money we get comes from the generosity of the public, and I am constantly amazed at how generous people are.”

Anyone interested in sampling good home cooking and supporting the appeal can log on to www.thehaggate.co.uk  or call Alan on 0161-633 8424.