In May 2019 I noticed a lump on my tonsil that I had had for years but had suddenly changed shape and size. After a number of misdiagnoses as a cyst and suspicions of something more ominous, I activated the private health care plan available through my employer and was swiftly admitted for a biopsy. Very soon afterwards received the news that I had HPV Throat Cancer which needed immediate treatment. I was lucky that I noticed the cancer early so had the option of surgery or Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. I opted for the former to get the Cancer out as quickly as possible. 2 main operations followed to remove lymph nodes in my neck and healthy tonsil as well as a second using Robotic surgery to remove the Cancer and "at risk parts of my throat and tongue). There were complications with infections and bleeds requiring additional surgeries. After a number of months to heal I then was told the surgery could not be 100% relied upon for removing all cancerous cells so required 6 weeks or radiotherapy (administered daily) to kill off any remaining cancerous cells. This was tough and the side effects escalate throughout the treatment and beyond. I still have complications from the side effects resulting in difficulties eating and losing a lot of weight. Some would joke this is a good thing but it has been tough. I am now in remission and being monitored monthly by my oncologist and surgeon for the next 5 years. I cannot begin to express the gratitude that I and my family and friends feel for those that have treated me. Along the way I had so many questions and not much in the way of answers to questions of a practical nature such as what is this condition and how do people contract it and what can be done to stop its spread, until I came across the Throat Cancer Foundation. HPV is an extremely common virus that many of us contract during our lifetimes and on occasion can progress to a cancer, in my case of the tonsil. It is our wish to help the Throat Cancer Foundation in the efforts to raise awareness to men and women in HPV and take away the stigma attached to it. The Throat Cancer Foundation have been campaigning for a long time and as a result the Government have recently introduced a free vaccination to both boys and girls to ensure this form of cancer does not effect our children and subsequent generations. So please donate what you can to help us get the message out there to help people like me and to help people understand this misunderstood and more so largely unknown condition.