Suwinder, or Sid, found out he had mouth cancer after a routine check with his doctor. Now he wants to encourage everyone to be mouthaware and go to the dentist and get anything worrying looked at.
Sid from Manchester said: “My symptoms were a small ulcer in my cheek that was quite irritable. It went and then two weeks later came back with a vengeance.
“I went to see my doctor and then took a trip to the hospital to get diagnosed where I got diagnosed with T3 mouth cancer.”
When Sid found out about his mouth cancer, he took some time to himself before telling his family.
“It was a shock knowing that I had cancer. I had to get it right in my own head before I could tell any family members. I took seven days to process it so that I knew I was okay in myself before I told them” says Sid.
“I explained to them what was going to happen, how I needed their support and that I was going to be okay.”
Sid ended up having surgery, six weeks of radiotherapy, and eighty hours of chemotherapy. As well as this, he had to have a peg feeder placed in his chest to help with food intake, although Sid will admit he found the food being cooked around him upsetting at times.
“I think I was one of the worst patients going I threw the dolly out of the pram a lot. My wife and my daughter-in-law are really good cooks. Whenever I smelt the aromas, like ginger or spices, I said what are you doing? Are you trying to upset me?
“My wife pointed out that it wasn’t just me in the house. Others have to eat, my grandchildren had to eat and that’s when I calmed down and stopped being selfish.
“From that day on, I focused on being positive about everything. Taking life each day as it comes and thinking positively. Having my grandchildren around me helped keep me positive.”
Sid is now focusing on his grandchildren and family after his treatment and spreading awareness of mouth cancer.
Sid said: “I am a very happy grandad at the moment. I saw my second grandson graduate from university. I got to see my oldest grandson get married. I even have a great-granddaughter on the way.”
He now volunteers with the Sikh Association as his way of giving back, and used to help on the Macmillan mobile information buses before they stopped running. He wants everyone to know how important dental teams can be in helping you keep your mouth healthy.
“So, you know, I’ll say again, don’t use your dentist just for your toothache use your dentist for everything, get a check up on your teeth. Make sure you see the hygienist because these are the people that can help you to spot your mouth cancer.
“It’s not all about smoking, drinking, or Asian people we have this paan thing. It can happen to anybody not because you do these things, it can just happen.
“So going to your dentist will help you tremendously.”