“When I was first diagnosed in the summer of 2014, I had never heard of tongue cancer and I was stunned when I was told that the sore on my tongue was early stage cancer and I needed surgery immediately. Like with all cancers, early detection is key, and I urge everyone to get screened for oral, head and neck cancers by taking advantage of the free screenings offered during OHANCAW [Oral Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week] at hundreds of local facilities throughout the country listed on www.headandneck.org. The good news is that new medical advances, such as recent development in immunotherapy, are improving the chances for a full recovery but early detection is still critical. The ball is in your court…get yourself screened!”