Kevin Sampson, who prefers to be known as Sam, says the lymphoedema treatment he has received at the ‘amazing’ hospice over the last nine months has been of huge help.
“It’s made a lot of difference – I can swallow now and move my neck and mentally it’s made me feel better because without this treatment, I would have difficulty eating,” said the 64-year-old father-of-two from Marlow.
The treatment involves manual lymphatic drainage massages to face, neck and upper body, deep oscillation therapy and exercises, which he is encouraged to do regularly outside the sessions. Sam says he rigorously follows the exercise regime and is now feeling a lot better as a result.
He said: “Without the lymphoedema treatment, I would find it difficult to eat, drive my car and turn my head, and generally have a normal life. This is a long-term thing and it’s improved my life.
“After cancer, your body has been battered and I thought I would never recover but I have – and a lot of that is down to the hospice and the care you get.”
Sam, who has three grandchildren, was first diagnosed with throat cancer in August 2023, and was given radiotherapy at a hospital in Oxford in November of that year. He then had surgery to remove the lymph nodes in his neck in March 2024.
This resulted in lymphoedema, which is a condition that causes swelling in the body due to excessive fluid build up when its lymphatic system is compromised.
“My neck was so puffed up, I couldn’t really swallow properly,” said Sam. “I was choking myself a bit and couldn’t get the food down properly. Everything was becoming really dry and I really couldn’t eat properly. I lost my taste and became very depressed because I love eating. I lost four-and-a-half stone in weight.”
He was referred to South Bucks Hospice in High Wycombe where he was treated by Katie Greig, Head of Lymphoedema.
“When I went the first time, I was very surprised at how effective it was. You have to keep it going and keep doing the exercises otherwise it keeps tightening up – you need to keep breaking the fluids down. I usually go once every three weeks to a month, but it is going very well at the moment because I do the exercises.”
He says he looks forward to his visits to the hospice and describes Katie as ‘brilliant’.
“We can have a laugh, she is down to earth, she explains things to me very well, I feel at ease with her and she clearly knows what she is doing because it works,” he said.
He also praised the hospice and its ‘pleasant’ atmosphere,
He added: “I would encourage people to donate – because they do such a good job. When you go to the hospice, they are absolutely amazing.”
