I was only 30, a newly wed, nursing mother to a six month old son when a routine dental check up revealed I 'probably' (to quote the dentist) - had cancer.

An ulcer on the inside of my cheek had been extremely painful for around 6 years, but the same dentist kept telling me it was nothing and that I was chewing my cheek in my sleep.

Until I met my husband - a dental technician, I had believed him. My husband however, didn't and with his persistence he was eventually to save my life.

Overnight I went from nursing mum to cancer patient, victim, sufferer. I was angry, confused, shocked and scared.

'How could this have possibly happened to me??' - was the question I and everyone around me wanted to know.

As an Actress and Yoga teacher I was ridiculously healthy. I exercised (a lot), I ate well, I relaxed, I detoxed often and I was practically tee-total. On the flip side I did work extremely hard and often burnt the midnight oil, but that was a different story, wasn't it? I was arguably the healthiest person that most of the people that I knew even knew! (With the exception of a few other yogis.)

My lifestyle seemed to have paid off, amazingly keeping my 'aggressive' cancer in the last stages of 2. I was lucky. Lucky for my husbands persistence, lucky to be alive and lucky to be otherwise ring dingerly healthy.

11 months and 4 operations later - including one major life saving 10 hour one replacing the inside of my cheek with part of my thigh!! And I am now cancer free! A cancer survivor, a Cancer soldier, a Cancer warrior! Thanks to the teams of the incredible Mr. P.Clark and Mr. S. James at the Royal Marsden Hospital, not to mention the angel nurses on the Wilson ward there.

I have since learnt that ANYTHING in your mouth that does not heal in 3 WEEKS must be examined as mouth cancer kills 50% of its sufferers. And when did I find this out? In the waiting room waiting for my first investigative biopsy, after my ulcer had been present for years!

So please, please if you have anything get it checked out and don't take no for an answer.

Last year I was too sick to walk, but this year I can't wait. I'll be the one proudly sporting my Jackie Farry 'Fuck Cancer' hat and probably pushing my son in his buggy.

I hope that the money and awareness raised by this walk will help to save thousands more lives, people like me and you, because cancer is becoming increasingly common, and it really can happen to you or the ones you love. 

Please give generously,

Wishing you health always,

 

Michele

x

 

 

 

 

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