What is a thyroid gland?

The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland in your neck. It makes two hormones that are secreted into the blood: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones are necessary for all the cells in your body to work normally.

Thyroid disorders are very common and tend mainly to occur in women, although anybody - men, teenagers, children and babies, too - can be affected. About one in 20 people has some kind of thyroid disorder, which may be temporary or permanent.

Providing reliable and accessible information for patients is at the heart of all the BTF does. It was therefore a privilege to attend an awards ceremony in London on 25 September to discover that the third edition of the BTF’s booklet Thyroid Cancer: for Patients by Patients had been Highly Commended by the judging panel of the British Medical Association’s Patient Information Awards. The panel commented ‘This is an excellent resource and is likely to be of considerable value to patients facing a thyroid cancer diagnosis.’

Our Christmas cards are now on sale, and by purchasing them you will be supporting the work of the BTF. To see the designs and to order simply download the order leaflet.

Thanks to all our runners in the 2018 SimplyHealth Great North Run who raised thousands of pounds to help us support people with thyroid disorders. Find out what inspired them and our other fundraisers or get more information on how you can become a BTF fundraiser.