“A long journey” (cont’d)

Having an incredibly supportive family & partner made moments of feeling alone easier…but I really was a lone wolf in this category. Until I stumbled on a group called ‘Young Tongues’ a group of 18-50 year olds with Oral Cancer, most in the UK but more and more popped up in the states, in Canada.. finding them helped me find connections to people my age, same surgeries, this group helped me find my voice which lead me to sharing my story.

This journey altered my life, but I have found my voice through it. I may have lost half my tongue but I gained a powerful voice—I advocate for people like me, for people who no longer have that voice to use. To gain more awareness & to create a community, I’ve been able to mentor a few individuals through their own journey similar to mine & im so honoured to be there for them as I didn’t have anyone like myself there for me at the time. I am 2 years out of surgery + radiation, but the journey isn’t over & it hasnt been easy.

I work hard daily to remain positive & strong. To manage my chronic pain & days where it’s tough to eat or speak. To maintain friendships & gain new experiences while not being able to work due to this life altering journey. To save up for a wedding as I am recently engaged, to build + plan for a life together while I am mourning the loss of my old life.

I am honoured to be an advocate daily, to use my voice to uplift others & their stories. To bring awareness on Oral Cancer, to connect with so many amazing & resilient individuals of all walks of life… it’s a journey I hold close to my heart. My journey is a long, wild one but I’m so lucky to be here to share it! My cancer doesn’t define me, I am more than it.

A Oral Cancer Warrior, advocate & speaker

All my socials & stories can be found here— linktr.ee/tylangille