Mum given devastating diagnosis after tonsillitis turns out to be throat cancer

09 December 2023 , 09:50

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Hannah and Chris Dean have shared their emotional experience (Image: Jam Press/@thebigc_journey)

A mother has shared how she was left “living a nightmare” after tonsillitis turned out to be throat cancer.

Hannah Dean, 33, noticed an enlarged gland in her neck at the end of 2022, just after suffering a bad case of a tonsil infection. The mum had no other symptoms except for a slight cough but decided to visit the GP and was referred for a biopsy.

In January 2023, her results came back with the horrifying news - Hannah had cancer – leaving her and husband Chris, 33, heartbroken. "It was unbelievable because I felt well and attended the gym regularly, I was working full-time shifts," the unit manager from Guildford, Surrey, said.

The unit manager, of Surrey, was diagnosed with throat cancer (Jam Press/@thebigc_journey)

Hannah noticed an enlarged gland in her neck at the end of 2022 (Jam Press/@thebigc_journey)

The mum to twin girls added: "Everything seemed fine. Until that day they found the cancer. I was shocked, in disbelief, it was like living in a nightmare. They also found that the lymph nodes weren't the source of the cancer, so I had to have my tonsils removed and more biopsies taken."

Hannah struggled during recovery and ended up in A&E with persistent vomiting and it was later confirmed that she had stage three laryngeal (larynx) cancer. This type of disease affects the voice box with the larynx part of the throat found at the entrance of the windpipe.

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Hannah had to undergo two gruelling rounds of chemotherapy, as well as 30 radiotherapy sessions. She said: “I was very sick from day one and couldn't keep anything down. And I was put on a feeding tube but the food would come straight up because I was vomiting numerous times a day.

“My blood pressure was low, as well as my oxygen, and I struggled to even keep my eyes open. The hardest part was not being able to talk or swallow, and not being able to express how scared I was.”

The mum, pictured with her twin girls, has received treatment this year (Jam Press/@thebigc_journey)

Hannah, pictured after her biopsy, intends to spread awareness of larynx cancer (Jam Press/@thebigc_journey)

Hannah’s treatment finished in April 2023 and she was sent home a week later. Her recovery was still slow with physio for her shoulders, which were affected by the constant vomiting, and speech therapy to help strengthen her voice cords.

Throughout her journey, Hannah says her twin girls and husband Chris have been her rocks. She said: “They [my girls] knew I was in hospital being looked after by Dr Rainbow and loved to watch the food go through the feeding tube. We never used the word cancer, we didn't want to scare them.

“They started to wake in the night a lot and cry for mummy, so Chris would go settle them. When I came out of hospital, they got very attached but both sets of their grandparents have been amazing at helping us out. It was mainly during bedtime and during the night when it would all get emotional.”

Hannah’s final scan, in July 2023, came back clear with the mum now in remission. She said: “My energy levels are improving but I still suffer from fatigue. I can now taste and eat most foods but have limited saliva so this can be tricky and a dry mouth wakes me up throughout the night. I felt a sense of relief that the treatment has worked but I didn't feel elated or a sense of joy as I was still upset and anxious that I had cancer.

“The stress was still there as I know there is a chance it can come back and that is why I will have regular scans over the next few years. It's not like the adverts on TV where the results are clear and that's it done and it's a celebration.”

Now, Hannah aims to spread awareness of larynx cancer and shares her journey on Instagram, (@thebigc_journey ). She added: “Just because it [cancer] is rare in young women, it can happen, make sure you get coughs and lumps checked. I also wish people knew how tough the treatment is, because it is in an area where you hear, breathe, and talk. The impact of treatment is brutal, and the side effects are everlasting.”

Katie Dollard