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Actress's Tattoo Lands on Tongue After Cancer Surgery
6 Dec
Summary
- Actress's tongue reconstructed with skin and tattoo from her arm.
- A painful mouth ulcer was discovered to be stage two cancer.
- Harriet Trewhitt relearned to talk and swallow after surgery.
A young actress has undergone a remarkable surgical procedure after a persistent mouth ulcer was identified as stage two squamous cell carcinoma. Harriet Trewhitt, 21, had half of her tongue removed and then reconstructed using skin and its accompanying tattoo from her arm. The semicolon tattoo, symbolizing hope and resilience, now resides on her tongue, a unique reminder of her battle.
Trewhitt's journey involved two major operations totaling 12 hours, followed by emergency surgery due to blood vessel complications. She also received proton beam therapy in Manchester to prevent the cancer from spreading. The surgery significantly impacted her ability to speak and swallow, requiring extensive rehabilitation with speech and language specialists.
Despite the challenges, including a large scar on her arm and a slight lisp, Trewhitt remains determined and positive, even finding humor in her situation. She is focusing on her recovery and future acting career, urging others to seek medical attention for persistent ulcers.
