And for the record David, you're assuming ALOT to suggest that both Helen and I came by our cancers through smoking. I started playing with smoking when I was 28 and going through a horrible divorce. Tried it for awhile, found out I didn't like it much. My doctors were adamant with me that smoking didn't cause the tumor that was deep within my jawbone. For all I know, my cancer was HPV+, I was only 41 at the time. My point is this. The vast majority of people that smoke DO NOT get oral cancer. So should I point my finger at them and question why they don't have cancer and I do? I also suspect that there are smokers that have HPV+ tumors, so for you to assume that everyone that is HPV- was a smoker is unfair on your part.

SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.