The Swallows Head & Neck Cancer Charity was created 13 years ago, not from a business plan, but from experience.
After going through cancer himself, Chris Curtis realised there wasn’t the level of support patients needed, especially in those moments outside of appointments where questions and worries don’t just switch off.
So he built something that would be there when people actually needed it.
Today, The Swallows provides 24/7 support to patients and carers, alongside raising awareness of head and neck cancer across the UK and internationally.
“We support patients and carers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so they’re not alone at the point they need support.”
Print isn’t an add‑on for The Swallows. It’s part of how the charity delivers its support.
From the start, the decision was made to invest properly in printed materials. Not just to look good, but to make sure they were genuinely useful for the people receiving them.
The most important of these is a small A5 book given to every newly diagnosed patient.
It’s filled with:
“This book goes to every newly diagnosed patient… it gives them hope that they’ll get through it.”
It’s something patients can come back to when they need it most.
What started as one book has grown into something much bigger.
Print runs now reach 5,000 copies at a time, with demand coming not just from UK hospitals, but internationally. Versions have been adapted for Spain, Australia and beyond.
A second book followed, built entirely from patient input.
Originally expected to be a small set of tips, it quickly grew into a much larger, highly valued resource.
“We thought it would be a 10‑page book. It turned into something much bigger… something patients can keep close and use whenever they need it.”
What was expected to last a year required a further 5,000 print run in a matter of months.
The relationship didn’t begin with a sales pitch.
It started with a conversation through BNI, focused on what the charity was trying to achieve.
From there, the focus has always been the same. Not just producing print, but helping solve problems and support the charity more broadly.
“It’s not just someone taking an order and delivering print. It’s much more hands on than that.”
That support has included:
One of the biggest shifts has been how print is used.
Rather than being purely a cost, it’s become something that can give something back.
Simple ideas like introducing QR codes into materials have helped create pathways for donations, meaning future print runs can begin to fund themselves.
“Our next print run will almost fund itself… that’s a huge difference for a charity.”
For The Swallows, trust is everything.
Materials need to be:
But just as important is having someone who understands the bigger picture.
“I can give Jacob a problem and he’ll find a solution… and often things I hadn’t even thought about.”
The relationship is not just about delivery, it’s about contribution.
Today, print is embedded in how The Swallows operates.
The materials are:
And more importantly, they’re used in moments that genuinely matter.
“These books are vital to our community… they help people when they need it most.”
This isn’t just about producing materials.
It’s about helping a charity deliver support, reassurance and connection at scale.
“It’s not just about the print… it’s everything around it, the ideas, the support, and how it can give something back.”
If you’re planning campaigns, printed materials or looking for ways to make your budget work harder, it’s worth having a conversation early.
Whether it’s:
There’s often more opportunity than first appears.