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Hello, I'm fundraising for the charity "Let's Talk About
Mouth Cancer." I mainly want to raise awareness of the disease through
early detection and prevention so please read below for the key signs and symptoms to be aware of. That said, any small donations you would like to make would also be much appreciated! I will be running the Croydon Half-Marathon on Sunday 15th March 2020, which is only a week away!

 I have been a keen runner for a long time, but have been training pretty hard since the beginning of July 2019. I last did a half-marathon, believe it or not, back in 2004 and raised more than £1200 for Leukaemia Research. Little did I know at that time that my father would have passed away due to mouth cancer in 2009. He would have benefited from the advice given below, especially in terms of going to see a doctor or dentist if a mouth ulcer fails to go away after three weeks. He left it and it wasn't until a lump appeared in his neck that he sought medical treatment. The disease is extremely aggressive and despite a 11-hour operation (the longest day in my life), radiotherapy and chemotherapy, his life was cut short only 6 months after diagnosis.

Please read now below for some key facts, signs and symptoms to be aware of:

In the UK, more than 7,800 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2019 and globally there are in excess of 300,000 new cases every year.The number of people being diagnosed with mouth cancer has grown by around a third in the last decade and remains one of very few cancers which is predicted to increase further in the coming years.

Although there are risk factors heavily linked to the disease, mouth cancer can affect anyone, which is why it’s so important that we all know what to look out for. My fundraising is all about taking action and promoting the messages:

Don’t leave a mouth ulcer unattended for more than three weeks.

Don’t ignore any unusual lumps or swellings or red and white patches in your mouth.

Any changes in and around your mouth or swellings on the face should be checked after 3 weeks. Go and see your dentist or doctor.

Early detection could save your life. If you notice any changes in your mouth speak to a dentist or doctor immediately.

Thank you again for reading my page and any kind donations too.

Best wishes,

Alex Sternfeld.