Mother-of-two who lost her tongue to cancer had it replaced with skin from her ARM – as she reveals the joy of still being able to drink a cup of tea
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Stephanie Wigglesworth was diagnosed with rare Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- 3×3 inch section of flesh was removed from her forearm and made into a tongue
- Now, she shared her happiness at being able to drink tea as she ‘really loves tea’
A mother-of-two who lost half her tongue to a rare oral cancer has revealed her joy at still being able to drink a cup of tea following a life-saving transplant.
Stephanie Wigglesworth, 36, was given a replica tongue made out of skin from her arm after she was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
The procedure, in 2013, involved a 3×3 inch section of flesh from her left forearm being removed and rolled into a shape that would work as a tongue.
And now, Ms Wigglesworth, who uses a feeding tube to eat but is cancer free, has spoken out about the food she misses, but is overjoyed at the fact that she ‘can still drink tea’.
Stephanie Wigglesworth was given a replica tongue made out of skin from her arm, after she was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma
She told The Daily Star: ‘I miss all of the lovely food we used to eat as a family… but at least I can still drink tea. I really love tea.’
Immediately after the transplant, she could only communicate by writing.
But after intensive speech therapy she was able to say her first words – the names of her children Keiran, and Daisy.
Ms Wigglesworth told MailOnline: ‘To fear you’ll never say your kids’ names again is the most horrible thing.
‘It takes nine different muscles just to swallow so I had a lot to learn.
‘Keiran’s a difficult name to say. That was a challenge as my tongue was swollen and had stitches in it.’
But 12 days after her surgery, she mastered ‘Keiran’ and ‘Daisy’ and had her first conversation with husband Gary.
Ms Wigglesworth added: ‘I still slur sometimes, but my children understand me better than anyone else.
‘If I start to lose my voice Keiran explains what I’m trying to say.’
The procedure, in 2013, involved a 3×3 inches section of flesh from her left forearm being removed and rolled into a shape that would work as a tongue
It was in January 2013, that Ms Wigglesworth first noticed her tongue felt numb.
At her local hospital in Peterborough she was diagnosed with stage two tongue cancer, which had spread to her lymph nodes.
Ms Wigglesworth recalled: ‘The doctors were very clear. Removing half my tongue followed by a transplant was the only treatment.’
In March 2013, surgeons at the world-renowned Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge performed a nine-hour transplant operation.
She said: ‘When I first came round it was awful. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even swallow. I felt disgusting. I had to use a whiteboard to communicate with Gary.
And now, Ms Wigglesworth has spoken out about the food she misses, but is overjoyed at the fact that she ‘can still drink tea’. Pictured: Her arm after the procedure
‘I tried to describe how I was feeling and ask about the children, but was awfully tired and in a lot of pain. It was so frustrating.’
Ms Wigglesworth’s voice also changed, going from a light tone to a raspy one. She said: ‘I sounded like a different person.’
Further treatment included a gruelling course of radiotherapy.
The transplant made eating difficult but Ms Wigglesworth reached a milestone when she managed to tuck into Christmas dinner with her family.
Ms Wigglesworth writes a blog titled my Cancer and Me.
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