Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

As many of you are already aware my Dad sadly lost his battle with tongue cancer on the 20th February 2019.  

Dad didn't smoke, and he was a fit man, yet he had been struck with cancer? It had taken hold of him for sometime before any of us were aware of the extent of the problem.  Dad fought hard for two years, but the tumour was so aggressive, it eventually took control.  

With the correct education and knowledge cases like my Dad's could potentially be avoided. There is little awareness of this type of cancer and that needs to change. Dad's tumour was on the base of his tongue, the area far back in your throat, which meant detection was extremely difficult. The only initial signs were a soreness to the back side of his tongue. Despite numerous visits to the dentist and doctors, Dad's symptoms weren't correctly identified until it became too late.  

If in doubt, ask for a referral! Don't put up with any pain!

Below is information from the Mouth Cancer Foundation website:

These are things to look out for:

• Ulcers that do not heal within 3 weeks
• Pain or discomfort in the mouth
• Lumps and swellings of no obvious cause in the mouth or neck
• Bleeding from the mouth or throat
• Red or white patches inside the mouth
• Changes in texture; hardness, roughness
• Teeth that become loose
• Difficulty or pain with swallowing, chewing or moving the jaw
• Persistent hoarseness or changes to the voice
• Persistent coughing or the feeling that something is ‘stuck’ in the throat
• Numbness or tingling of the lips or tongue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Dentures that suddenly stop fitting properly

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