Dad-of-three: ‘Get screened for mouth cancer′

A Dorset man who came through 16 operations to beat mouth cancer is urging people to get examined.

Fourty-six-year-old, Tim Gallego, who is originally from Australia but now lives in Poundbury with his three children, is telling people to visit their dentist or GP for a simple check-up as it could save their lives.

Mr Gallego, who had to have his face almost completely rebuilt after surviving the disease, is speaking out as part of Mouth Cancer Awareness Week.

He said that if people notice something unusual in their mouth, which doesn’t go away or reoccurs they should get screened and added that his symptoms were a blocked nose, which he believed to be a sinus problem but turned out to be a tumour.

Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are the major causes of mouth cancer but, like Mr Gallego, many people who don’t abuse these drugs can develop he disease.

He also emphasised the importance of getting regular dental check-ups saying that dentists often notice oral problems which are warning signs of this disfiguring lethal cancer.

Surgeons built Mr Gallego, a financial adviser, a new face and teeth after he went through a 21-hour operation to remove the tumour which was as big as an apricot.

He said that he wished people would ask him what had happened to him rather than simply staring.

To find out more information about mouth cancer visit mouthcancerfoundation.org.

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