The project will follow many of the successful strategies used by an award-winning mouth cancer campaign run by the West of Scotland Cancer Awareness Project*.
The Department of Health is giving Cancer Research UK £100,000 a year for an initial three years to run the new campaign.
The campaign will rely in its first year on a PR campaign, to be launched during Mouth Cancer Awareness Week (13 - 19 November). This publicity will be based primarily on research findings.
The charity will also make extensive use of case studies to illustrate the campaign's messages and reach target audiences through lifestyle publications.
There will also be PR focussed on 'at-risk' groups: people who smoke and/or drink heavily, those over the age of 40, people who are not registered with a dentist and those who chew tobacco or betel quid with areca nut, gutkha or paan.
"The campaign will include messages to dentists, doctors and pharmacists, who can play key roles referring patients with suspected early signs of mouth cancer to specialists."
Disclaimer: Please see your own dentist/doctor for a proper diagnosis as my words should not, in any circumstances, be taken as dental/medical advice.
"If you see what is small as it sees itself, and accept what is weak for what strength it has, and use what is dim for the light it gives, then all will go well. This is called Acting Naturally." Lao-Tsu, Tao Teh King
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