Barbara Fountain

Barbara Fountain

Head and Neck

Cancer Advocate


Inspiring change through lived experience.

Barbara is a tongue cancer survivor, CEO & Founder of Young Tongues and an internationally recognised speaker. She delivers powerful talks that blend personal resilience with patient-led insights to challenge, educate and inspire.

Every event is unique. Barbara takes time to understand your audience, your goals and the outcomes you want to achieve. Book a short conversation with her to explore how she can bring the most value to your event.
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About Barbara

Diagnosed with tongue cancer at 32, Barbara turned her journey into advocacy. She founded Young Tongues, a UK charity now connecting over 850 young adults worldwide facing tongue cancer.

As a speaker, Barbara brings a rare blend of personal storytelling and community-driven insights. Her talks highlight the human realities behind the data.

Audiences leave with a deeper understanding, greater empathy and the drive to make meaningful change.

Barbara delivers talks across a range of formats:

  • Keynote speeches for conferences, summits and symposiums
  • Panel discussions on healthcare, patient advocacy and survivorship
  • Workshops and training sessions for healthcare professionals and educators
  • Lectures and guest talks at universities and medical schools
  • Motivational talks for corporate teams

“We had the pleasure of hosting Barbara Fountain, CEO of Young Tongues, at the recent European Congress on Head and Neck Oncology (ECHNO2025). Barbara is an inspiring public speaker with the remarkable ability to engage both healthcare professionals and the wider public. Her courage in the face of adversity, candid discussions about her personal experience with cancer, and her infectious positive energy make her truly exceptional. Barbara uniquely brings the patient perspective to her presentations, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration with patient groups moving forward. We look forward to potential opportunities to collaborate with her at future speaking events.”

Make Sense Campaign Steering Committee and Secretariat
By inviting Barbara, you’re not only engaging an exceptional speaker, you’re also supporting a vital cause. As Young Tongues is a small charity, we kindly request a contribution toward Barbara’s preparation and presentation time, along with coverage of associated expenses.