Our local mainstream radio station were joking about this story saying MD was making up how he got oral cancer. I was fuming and fired off this email.

As a long time listener (20+ years) I was horrified this morning to hear you discuss Michael Douglas' annoucement that oral sex caused his cancer as something of fiction.

My husband, Ken, was diagnosed with stage IV base of tongue cancer like Mr. Douglas after a year of complaining of a sore throat. His cancer also tested positive for the HPV virus. Ken went through a similar treatment plan - 7 weeks of daily radition and weekly chemotherapy. He required a feeding tube and went from 280lbs to 220lbs. Less than 4 months after finishing his treatment he was diagnosed again and was scheduled to have his tongue and voicebox removed. At the time of diagnosis our daughter was 7 months old. We now faced the reality that she would never hear her father's voice or be able to sit down and have a "normal" family dinner with him. As we prepared for the surgery we tried our best to look toward the future and adjust to our "new normal". The morning before the surgery an artery in Ken's throat burst and he bled to death on our front steps waiting for the ambulance. Ken was 44 and our daughter was only 14 months old.

These graphic details are meant to shock you. They are meant to hopefully have you give pause to your comments this morning. As Ken's oncologist explained to us, if you have had more than 2 sexual partners in your life you have most likely been exposed to the HPV virus. In most cases your body is able to fight off the virus. Ken and Michael Douglas we not that fortunate. There is now a push for both girls and boys to be vaccinated with Guardasil to prevent them from contracting HPV (which also causes cervical cancer).

The Oral Cancer Foundation (oralcancerfoundation.org) is holding their Boston Walk for Awareness on October 6th at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. What better way for your to pass on CORRECT information than to help us raise awareness for this REAL and deadly disease. I would be happy to be a part of your show to discuss my story and would welcome KISS as a sponsor of our walk. I have attached the information about the walk and sponsorship.