Spotting mouth cancer signs and symptoms early -- Mike's story -- Cancer Research UK

Mike tells us how he found his mouth cancer early. Learn about possible symptoms of mouth cancer and why it is important to see your doctor as soon as you have symptoms.

This is a Cancer Research UK video. Learn more about mouth cancer at www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/type/mouth-cancer/

Video transcript:
Mike: My name is Mike Donahue, I live in County Durham. I’m a professional magician and in 2007 I was diagnosed with mouth cancer.
I was getting shaved for an event early evening to go out and perform at an event and I noticed a lump on my neck.
At first I just thought it was muscle so for a couple of weeks I didn’t do anything and then I thought there’s maybe something not right here.
So I went to the GP and as soon as he looked at it he faxed though to hospital just to get it checked in case it was cancer. And he actually mentioned the word cancer.
I remember going to a Blackpool magic convention which I used to go to every year wondering whether I would have cancer or not when I came back. And they said yeah you’ve got cancer.
So it was shock and devastation. But thanks the skill of the doctors and the brains of the medical world I’m still here. So very lucky but I put it down to going straight away really to get it seen to.
The sooner you go to get it checked out the more chance you’ve got of recovering from whatever you have wrong with you so it makes sense to go early.
For me, the fact that I went early, that’s why I’m still here and living a full life now. So I’m doing the best I can to be fit and I’m really happier than I’ve ever been in my life. Really happy.