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The choir without vocal cords

The Belgian chorister-turned-doctor who conducts a choir for people who have had their voice box surgically removed.

Doctor Thomas Moors has understood the power of the voice since he was part of a boys' choir in Belgium. He took that knowledge with him into his career and now specialises in ears, nose and throat. And now he has done what some thought impossible - formed a choir for people in the UK who have had their voice boxes surgically removed, mostly because of throat cancer, through an operation called a laryngectomy.

We also hear the stories of Shout at Cancer choir members Sara Bowden-Evans and Ian Bradshaw, and we meet award-winning American filmmaker Bill Brummel, who has also had a laryngectomy, and has made a documentary about the choir called Can you hear my voice?

This programme was originally broadcast in March 2020.

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter: Mariana Des Forges
Producer: Deiniol Buxton and Thomas Harding Assinder

Picture: The Shout at Cancer choir
Credit: Bill Brummel Productions

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40 minutes

Podcast