C2D2 Translation 7a - Maxfacts – the website to empower maxillofacial patients, carers and professionals

There are about 6,200 new cases of oral cancer each year in the UK and the incidence is increasing, in part related to HPV infections. For the majority of head & neck cancers curative treatment is nowadays possible, shifting the emphasis to living with the combined effects of disease and treatment. Many survivors are severely affected by life-long difficulties with eating, swallowing and speaking. Any improvements in understanding and self-care will make a major difference.

The Maxfacts website is being created to provide a comprehensive and fully validated electronic resource of information for maxillofacial (mostly head & neck cancer) patients, carers and professionals – to empower patients and carers, and to generally improve knowledge about the topic(s).

C2D2 funding will be used to populate a section of self-help content for the website dealing with relevant physiotherapy, including video demonstrations of key exercises for maxillofacial patients. The availability of specialised physiotherapy after major surgery and/or radiotherapy is currently limited. It is, however, an important contributor to quality of life and optimal long-term outcomes for this group of often severely affected patients. The videos will demonstrate key exercises using ‘actors’ guided and supervised by a specialist physiotherapist at Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. All videos will be finalised by voice overs and appropriate annotations plus written material (for background information and explanations) on the website. The design of all material will be optimised for user engagement.