AHEAD of World Cancer Day on Saturday (February 4) a Droitwich man who knows first-hand the value of research into the disease is encouraging others to support work that will give hope to future generations.
After initially dismissing a lump in his neck as swollen glands from a sore throat in February 2021, three months later Charlie Shiels was diagnosed with cancer in his voice box, throat and at the base of his tongue.
As intensive radiotherapy would leave him temporarily unable to eat, Charlie had surgery to fit a tube feed to his stomach throughout his treatment.
He lost four stone in weight and needed months of speech therapy to learn to eat again.
Charlie also suffered temporary speech loss and often needs a glass of water to combat a dry mouth while speaking or eating.
He said: “After so many increasingly serious tests I was pretty sure it was going to be bad news, but it was still a shock.
“I considered myself to be fit, and I’d never really heard of head and neck cancer, but luckily it had been caught early.”
Charlie, whose scans have been cancer free since October 2021, said the experience gave him a whole new outlook on life.
He added he now has a greater appreciation of the importance of the work Cancer Research UK does.
The charity helped to develop intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) – a more targeted type of treatment which significantly reduces certain side effects in people with head and neck cancer.
Charlie, aged 60, was also given the chemotherapy drug Cisplatin during his treatment, which Cancer Research UK helped to develop.
He added: “Research into better treatments has given me the greatest gift – more precious time with my loved ones.
“My beloved wife of 32 years, Linda, has multiple sclerosis and I am her main carer, and thanks to research I’m still here to look after her and enjoy the company of our three children.
“I’m also back at work, doing the job I love, and this wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of scientists who are relentlessly striving towards new milestones month after month.”
To mark World Cancer Day, Cancer Research UK will be selling special unity bands at their Charity shops.
People can also visit cruk.org/donate to donate monthly to Cancer Research UK.
