I was not a smoker.

I was not HPV positive.

I was a social drinker.

I was a healthy, active, social woman who loved her family, her work, her cooking, and her life.

And I got oral cancer.

My name is Carmena Cassidy, and in September 2022, I was diagnosed with Stage IVa oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. What followed was a nine-hour surgery, six weeks of daily radiation and chemotherapy, the loss of my voice as I knew it, and one of the most difficult — and ultimately transformative — journeys of my life.

I am here. I am thriving. And I have a mission.

The Two-Week Rule — and Why It Matters

My cancer could have been detected earlier. For months, I visited dentists and specialists with a persistent sore on my tongue. I was given reasonable explanations — friction from a tooth, nighttime grinding — and I followed every instruction I was given.

But no one performed a biopsy. And every week without one was a week the tumor grew.

The clinical standard is simple and it exists for a reason:

If something in your mouth has not healed within two weeks — it should be evaluated.

This is called the Two-Week Rule. It is endorsed by Cancer Care Ontario, the Canadian Dental Association, Cancer Research UK, and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

It is simple. It saves lives. And not enough people know about it.

What I Am Raising Funds For

I have written a memoir — Silent but Resilient: A Personal Journey Through Oral Cancer — to share my story and carry this message to the people who need to hear it most: patients, families, dentists, and doctors.

Your support will help fund:

∙ Printing and distribution of the book to cancer centres, dental offices, and patient waiting rooms across Canada

∙ Speaking engagements at healthcare conferences and dental professional events to advocate for earlier biopsy thresholds

∙ Community awareness campaigns reaching people who may not have regular dental care — the very people most at risk of late diagnosis

∙ A resource hub at carmenacassidy.com where patients and families can access information, share their stories, and find support

What I Have Already Been Through

On October 13, 2022, I underwent nine hours of surgery at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton under the care of Dr. Han Zhang and Dr. Michael Au — two surgeons whose skill and decisiveness I credit with saving my life. Seventy-two lymph nodes were removed from my neck. Tissue from my forearm was used to reconstruct my tongue.

Beginning December 1, 2022, I attended the Juravinski Cancer Centre every single weekday for six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. I lost my taste. I lost my voice as I knew it. I was sustained by a feeding tube.

And I got up every morning, got into the volunteer’s car, and went back.

Because I had grandchildren to get up for. Because I had a story worth telling. And because I knew, even then, that if sharing what happened to me could move even one biopsy forward — it was worth every word.

Today

Three years later, my follow-up results are clear. My speech continues to improve. I run a cookie business. I am the grandmother of Penelope, Rose, and Timmy.

I am living proof that survival is possible — and that earlier detection makes survival more likely, with less cost to the body and the life.

A Simple Ask

If this story moves you — please share it. Every share reaches someone who may have a sore in their mouth they have been ignoring. Every share reaches a dentist who may think twice before scheduling another monitoring appointment instead of a biopsy referral.

And if you are able to contribute — thank you. Every dollar goes directly toward getting this message into the hands of the people who need it.

If something in your mouth has not healed within two weeks — please have it evaluated.

It is a simple step. It could change everything.

With love and gratitude,

Carmena Cassidy

Waterdown, Ontario, Canada

carmenacassidy.com

[email redacted]