"An amazing team of professionals passionate about helping patients"

I was diagnosed last year with Thyroid Cancer in my throat, which spread to other areas of my neck and shoulder, resulting in me receiving a total Laryngectomy and other surgery to remove the cancer.

This left me with no voice box, and permanently breathing through a hole at the front of my neck. I was unable to speak or make any vocal sounds, at all, for four months.

The amazing team at Monklands Hospital nursed me back to good health and I received further surgery to have a speech valve fitted at the back of my Trachea. I was then put in the hands of the Speech & Language Therapists who have carefully guided me through the process of learning to speak using the implanted speech valve and Manual Heat and Moisture Exchange Filter.

This has very recently progressed to using a hands free "Flexivoice" filter and thanks to the amazing therapist team, I am now able to talk clearly, consistently and for as long as I desire, ( or others will allow ).

I just want to say a huge thank you to a thoroughly amazing team of professionals who clearly are passionate about helping patients through the trauma of cancer and helping them to cope with the after effects of treatment.

I would urge anyone reading this to support the team, in any way they can.