Support Anjo in his fight against Cancer

Hi, my name is Anjo and I just found out I have Stage 4 sinus cancer. I've been recently diagnosed with a rare kind of agressive sino-nasal cancer which has attached to my eye, cheekbone, upper palate, gums and lymph node.

This unfortunately meant that I had to undergo extensive surgery to get rid as much of the cancer on my head and neck, ( and every part the cancer has attached to sadly) and undergo reconstructive surgery to restore some of its function and form. Unfortunately, not all of the cancer can be surgically taken out.

This, along with experiencing the symptoms and difficulties I have prior to surgery, has made it physically impossible for me to work and do my normal activities of daily living. I am currently under the care of an ENT team, plastic surgeons, speech pathologists, pain and infection team, dietitian and physiotherapists here in Melbourne.

Here is a timeline of my cancer journey so far:

August 2021

Start of symptoms. Started feeling symptoms of face numbness on the right side, similar to sinusitis.

October 2021

Diagnosing the cancer. I went to my doctor again as I was still experiencing the same symptoms and I haven’t gotten any better. The right side of my face has started to swell up even more. I have undergone CT scan, MRI and PET scan and found that a large mass has infiltrated my whole right sinus cavity, lower portion of my right eye, right nostril, cheekbone and upper part of my mouth. It has also metastasise to my right lymph node.

One of those admisssions in the emergency department.

November 2021

Biopsy. I have undergone biopsy of the tumour that completely blocked off my right nostril wherein I experienced difficulty in breathing and frequent massive nosebleeds. I was a mouth breather in November pretty much. I was admitted multiple times in the emergency department due to uncontrolled nose bleeds.

Last photo of me with two eyes.

Dec 20 2021

A gruelling 11 hour surgery with 10 doctors. This was my big surgery as I underwent neck dissection, maxillectomy, extenteration of orbit, debridement and fibula free flap reconstruction of the cheek. Celebrating Christmas in the hospital with tubes and all wasn’t the best. I needed my lechon. 

January 2022

Infection and another surgery. Recovery from surgery before radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I unfortunately developed an infection on the surgery site and had to undergo another surgery to drain out the infected area. Not fun!

Feb 14 2022

Start of radiotherapy. Here we go!

Feb 16 2022

Start of Carboplatin chemotherapy. I will be undergoing chemo and radiotherapy in the next couple of months and hopefully that's it. Everyday I'll be in the hospital within this time and I'll have reassessment after the course. 

Goal

Be cancer free!

Future

As my prognosis is still unclear, and considering the rarity of the cancer that I have, I may still have to undergo surgeries and procedures to be cancer free.

I will try my best to keep you posted on my fight.

Thank you and I love you all.

Anjo ❤️