Jackie Kelly is recalling the moment she received her cancer diagnosis.
“I was on my own, and I was told they had the test results and that they’d found cancerous cells in the tissue,” says Jackie, from Castlemilk in Glasgow.
“It was all surreal. I was like, ‘Oh my God!’”
Jackie had sought advice on a small, pea-sized lump at the side of her mouth, which her GP initially thought was a blocked saliva gland.
After a routine operation to remove it, Southern General Hospital in Glasgow sent the sample to the pathology lab to be tested, which revealed mouth cancer.
“I actually saw a campaign on the telly talking about mouth cancer which said if you found an unusual lump in your mouth, then go and get it checked,” says Jackie.
“To be honest, I very nearly didn’t go to my appointment. I felt stupid because I thought I didn’t fit the criteria. Although I smoked, I didn’t drink and I wasn’t old. I was only 25.”
Now a 46-year-old mum-of-three, Jackie’s decision to seek early advice from her GP practice was the best thing she could have done.
It meant the cancer was found early, with many more treatment options available. She underwent 35 radiation sessions over seven weeks.
“Just before my treatment started, I found out that I was 13 weeks pregnant with Jack,” adds Jackie.
“They took good care of me and told me the risks of having radiotherapy during pregnancy. Thankfully, my son was born fine – he was 11lb 8oz, and now he’s training to be a chartered accountant!”
Jackie has two other children: Toni, 28, and 23-year-old Ryan.
If you’re experiencing unusual, persistent symptoms, seeking ‘early bird’ advice means a greater chance of living well after treatment and better news to tell the family.
When cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, there are often more treatment options available.
If something doesn’t feel normal to you, then the first step should be speaking to your GP practice.
“Mouth cancer can be very aggressive and can get out of hand very quickly,” says Jackie, who has been in remission since finishing her treatment.
“Don’t ever feel stupid about getting something checked. It’s so important. If I hadn’t gone to my GP practice when I did, I might not be here today, and my children wouldn’t have had a mum.”
GP Douglas Rigg agrees: “Don’t be embarrassed or sit at home worrying. Give your GP practice a call.
“It probably won’t be cancer, but if it is, finding cancer earlier can mean a much wider range of treatment options being available and a better chance of living well again.”