In 2020, my mum was diagnosed with mouth cancer.

The prognosis for her future was incredibly grim.

She underwent eight months of chemotherapy and received the maximum amount of radiation a person can have in a lifetime. At the end of treatment, doctors prepared her for the possibility that she may have less than two years to live.

Instead of giving up, she did the only thing she could.

She fought.

Six years later, she wakes up every day deeply grateful to still be here.

But surviving cancer hasn’t meant life returning to normal.

The aggressive treatment that saved her life also caused permanent damage.

Radiation severely deteriorated her jawbone, gums and teeth. After years of trying to smile through constant pain, she recently had to have all of her bottom teeth and most of her top teeth removed.

There was simply no saving them.

For as long as I can remember, Mum hasn’t been able to eat solid food.

And that might sound small to someone reading this, until you really think about what that means.

Most of us connect with the people we love over food. We sit around a table at Christmas. We cook together at Easter. We celebrate birthdays with cake. We gather for Sunday lunches, dinners out, cultural traditions and shared meals.

Those moments are how families bond.

Cancer quietly took that from her.

While everyone else shares a meal, she has often had to retreat to her room, slowly drip feeding liquid nutrition through a tube attached to her stomach to avoid both the physical pain and the heartbreak of watching others eat.

While food brings people together, it has become something she endures, not enjoys. The simple act of eating, something most of us do without thinking, has been replaced with discomfort, limitation and isolation.

On top of that, losing part of her tongue has affected her speech. The deterioration in her jaw has left it fragile and weak. Her energy levels are low. Movement is limited.

So when you imagine the physical loss, also imagine the emotional one.

Imagine watching your family share meals year after year, knowing you cannot join them in the same way.

That is what she has been living with.

Many people assume that once cancer treatment ends, support systems step in.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.

Despite living with permanent physical complications from treatment, she hasn’t qualified for the level of assistance needed to cover specialist care, dental reconstruction or transport to ongoing appointments.

Living on a disability pension means these essential treatments are completely out of reach financially.

Why Dentures Aren’t Simple

We thought dentures would help her regain some normality.

But due to extensive scar tissue and bone damage caused by radiation, standard dentures won’t stay in place.

She now requires a maxillofacial specialist to perform a bone graft and implant procedure so two stabilising gum implants can be placed.

These implants would allow dentures to finally stay secure.

Without them, eating comfortably, speaking clearly and rebuilding confidence simply isn’t possible.

None of these procedures are affordable on her current income.

The Emotional Impact

My mum has always been a people person.

She has spent her life working with people and bringing joy to others. Making someone smile genuinely makes her happiest.

Now, because her speech has been affected and she feels self conscious about her smile, finding work has become incredibly difficult.

She often avoids social situations out of fear of judgement.

Watching someone who once loved connecting with people slowly withdraw from the world has been heartbreaking.

Depression has become a daily battle, something she struggles to admit because she knows how lucky she is to still be alive.

And she truly is grateful.

She has her life.

But she deserves to live it fully.

Why We Need Your Help

Asking for help hasn’t come easily.

She has spent years trying to manage everything alone.

But the reality is she cannot overcome this next stage without support.

She fought to stay alive.

Now we’re asking for help so she can truly live.

To eat without pain.

To smile without covering her mouth.

To sit at Christmas lunch and not have to leave the room.

To reconnect with the people she loves.

Your support will directly help her rebuild what cancer took, not her gratitude for being alive, but her quality of life.

Funds raised will go directly toward: