** UPDATE **
See what typical outcomes have been by searching through over 1500 responses from real people who have been through it.
Click here to go the search page
In the menu, access this here: "What Will I Be Like?" > "Advice Sheets" > "Search Database"
New and exclusive!
We are very excited to announce a wonderful new enhancement to our already very valuable "WWIBL" resource:
Patient Snapshot videos
There is evidence that the emotional impact on patients and carers of patients who have been given a diagnosis of head and neck cancer is large and a major concern of all parties is what the expected outcome will be. Until now, we have not had usable, accessible, visible evidence as to what patients will be like after surgery. This collection of videos is an effort to help educate patients, and perhaps allay some of their fears. Videos have obvious advantages given that viewers are able to actually see how others' appearance, speech quality and demeanour are. These patient video snapshots are catalogued on our site, together with the stage and treatment of their condition so a patient can search for their own scenario so as close a match as possible can be made.
Our mission is to compile multiple videos for each of the 26 primary diagnoses that reflect the broadest possible range of outcomes following treatment. This will not only help newly diagnosed patients gain a perspective of what the effects treatment may have on them and their quality of life, but will also be an amazing opportunity for those who have already gone through treatment to help others facing the prospect of going through it themselves for the first time.
*** There are still many gaps in our collection.
*** Take a look here to see if you can help!
We are absolutely committed to making sure that each and every person willing to give a ‘snapshot’ video of themselves comes away feeling proud and empowered.
Take a look at a draft information leaflet below.
What Will I Be Like
WWIBL currently contains a database of questionnaires completed by patients that gives their perspective of outcome following their cancer treatment at around 18 months following treatment. We have compiled several hundred individual questionnaires completed by our patients over the last 10 years to allow users to perform a customisable search to help predict what their quality of life might be like after surgery / radiotherapy.
We have found that the 18 month responses are very similar to the long-term outcomes thus they give a very reasonable indication of what to expect when cured of the cancer.
The questionnaire database is searchable by key factors such as age, gender, site, stage and treatment so the search can be closely matched to individuals. The issues are those on the University of Washington Head and Neck Cancer Scale and include: Activity, Anxiety, Appearance, Chewing, Mood, Pain, Overall Quality of Life, Recreation, Saliva, Shoulder, Speech, Swallowing, and Taste
The database of patients replies will grow year on year so in the future more detail searches will be possible.
