A young woman has shared shocking images of a mouth ulcer she ignored for three months – which turned into full-blown cancer.
Millie Murphy, 21, said her life has been turned ‘upside down’ after she was diagnosed with cancer in April.
Thinking it would go away on its own, Millie, from Doncaster, South Yorks, didn’t push for a second opinion during multiple trips to the doctor where she claims her concerns were brushed off – during which time the mass swelled to three times its size.
After being spotted by her dentist, the cancer has now spread to Millie’s neck and she claims the signs of the ulcer being cancerous were missed by her GP.
She is now speaking out for the first time to raise awareness as she begins chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Shock diagnosis: Millie Murphy, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, pictured after emergency surgery which rid her mouth of the agonising tumour
Painful: The 21-year-old suffered from the ulcer for three months and, unfortunately, the cancer quickly spread to 70 per cent of her tongue – and, later, into her neck
‘My life has been put on hold by this. I’ve had to relearn how to eat and have lost four stone,’ Ms Miller says.
‘What upsets me most is that this could have been prevented from happening if there was more awareness of this disease. I’d had a niggling mouth ulcer on the left side of my tongue. I didn’t think anything of it though.
‘It had grown about three times its original size and had started to turn a brown, green colour by this point and bled a lot.
‘I would catch the ulcer on my tongue and sat up crying at night in pain. But after hearing all this, the doctor looked into my ear and said it was inflamed.
‘My GP looked at my mouth and sent me away like I was a pest.’
Treatment: Pictured in hospital after urgent treatment (left) and the cancerous mass (right)
On-going: Because of the size of the tumour and the fact that it spread to her jugular vein, she now has had to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy – and wears a tracheostomy scar
Health battle: A carefree Millie is pictured shortly before her life-changing diagnosis
The day before her 21st birthday, Ms Miller went for a routine dental appointment and was referred to hospital where she was given the news that she had mouth cancer.
By the time she was operated on, the cancer had spread to 70 per cent of her tongue, the floor of her mouth and the lymph nodes in her neck.
Because of this she had to have a tracheostomy to breath and feeding tube in her nose. The procedure has left her with scars across her body.
‘My life and that of my family’s came to a haltering stop when my consultant broke the news. I felt numb,’ she adds.
‘I couldn’t use my mouth at all, not even to talk’: Ms Murphy was momentarily mute while her mouth healed from the trauma of the operation
Maternal instinct: Due to the the impact of the radiotherapy and chemotherapy on fertility, Millie is also storing her eggs in the event that she wants to have a baby
Recovery: Grafted skin was taken from Ms Miller’s arm, which was used to rebuild her mouth
‘Knowing you are walking around like normal, with this disease tearing through your body, rotting it away was horrible.
‘Yet it never felt real, it was like it wasn’t happening to me. I couldn’t use my mouth at all, not even to talk.
‘The tube leaked and spat out phlegm from my chest constantly and not being able to talk could get frustrating. But I met so many wonderful nurses and doctors who became my friends along the way.’
After returning home, she was given the crushing news in August that her cancer had spread, this time to the right side of her neck.
Because of the size of the tumour and the fact that it spread to her jugular vein, she now has had to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Due to the the impact of the radiotherapy and chemotherapy on fertility, Millie is also storing her eggs in the event that she wants to have a baby.
Before the storm: ‘My life and that of my family’s came to a haltering stop when my consultant broke the news. I felt numb,’ she says of her cancer battle
Tragic: Mollie Murphy with her mother and father, before being diagnosed with mouth cancer
On the mend: Ms Murphy pictured with her mother, who has been a solid source of support
‘I was numb but very emotional. I couldn’t understand the unfairness of it all. Why was this happening again? I felt weak, mentally and physically. I broke down,’ Ms Miller added.
‘Having chemotherapy and radiotherapy at a young age is not ideal, there is a lot of unknown. There is the probability of reduced or complete infertility.’
Despite her experience, Millie has feared talking openly about her condition.
But she is determined to do everything she can to fight her cancer off and has been overwhelmed by countless messages of support.
‘I’ve been embarrassed to share my journey with people for fear of being judged,’ she added.
‘I find mouth cancer to be disgusting and embarrassing and I’ve feared judgement for having this horrible disease. However, I want to raise awareness for people.
‘My journey needn’t have been so tough if my GP had originally known the classic signs and symptoms of head and neck cancer.
‘I have had the most amazing support and love from my family and close friends throughout this journey my life has taken.
‘I just want to get this over with and live my life again.’
With her mother: ‘I have had the most amazing support and love from my family and close friends throughout this journey my life has taken,’ she says
A spokesperson for Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: ‘It is always sad when a patient is diagnosed with cancer and our thoughts go out to Millie and her family.
‘One in two people in their lifetime are likely to be affected by cancer and we continue to fight against it in a number of ways.
‘We continue to raise awareness of the signs to look out for and encourage patients to seek early advice. We also have an ongoing education programme with Doctors to highlight cancer as a possible diagnosis.
‘As a CCG working with GPs in Doncaster, we continue to prioritise the investigation of symptoms and commence early treatment when needed.
‘We are making improvements year on year in cancer care but we know more work needs to be done.’