When I was still in active treatment for stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, a type of oral cancer, I was so focused on staying alive that I couldn’t think too far into the future. 

But after five years of being cancer-free, I finally transitioned to survivorship. That meant I only needed to come back to MD Anderson once a year for check-ups. It also meant I’d meet with a nurse or a physician assistant instead...

I’ve had four of my back teeth removed, the floor of my mouth rebuilt and more than half of my tongue replaced with an arm muscle. But other than a slight lisp and some scars on my neck and forearm, there are no obvious signs that I once had stage IV squamous cell carcinoma, a type of oral cancer.

Recovery from my oral cancer treatment was not fun. It was hard and scary and painful. But it was also worth it.

That’s why I...