MEDIA ALERT – MARATHON RUN FOR MOUTH CANCER!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –WEDNESDAY 19TH MARCH 2014

INTERVIEW AVAILABLE:

  • RUNNER – SARAH MARKLEY

“Running London marathon is a first for me. It will be a gruelling challenge, but worth it to raise awareness for mouth cancer. It is a shocking disease which robbed my best friend of her husband at just 34 years old!”

Runner, Sarah Markley

To set up an interview andfor more informationplease call Media Ambitions on 0208 940 2222.

A runner from Calne, Wiltshire, is taking part in the London Marathon on Sunday 13th April 2014 in order to raise much needed funds for one of the country’s leading mouth cancer charities, the Mouth Cancer Foundation.

An administrator Sarah Markley, 41, has decided to run for the Mouth Cancer Foundation in memory of her friend’s husband, Paul Beament.

Paul, originally from Sidmouth, died of mouth cancer in December 2004 at just 34 years old. Paul was an active man who did not smoke or drink excessively but after suffering from increasing pain at the back of his neck he decided to see a dentist. It took four specialists until cancer was suspected. Once diagnosed Paul underwent a 12-hour operation to remove half of his tongue and reconstruct it with soft tissue taken from his forearm. He had a peg feeding tube fitted to provide nutrition directly into his stomach and a tracheotomy to help him breathe. He was determined to fight the cancer and get back to his job as a Senior IT Consultant.

After recovering from the surgery, a 6-week course of radiotherapy followed, after which Paul was told he was cancer free. However, by July 2004 his cancer returned but further surgery was impossible, so he endured months of chemotherapy.

Sarah says “I’ve decided to complete this challenge in memory of Paul who died of mouth cancer 10 years ago. Mouth cancer is a debilitating disease so we need to shout about its early signs and symptoms in order to get the message through.”

The Founder of the Mouth Cancer Foundation, Dr Vinod Joshi says “As in Paul’s case 25% of mouth cancer cases are not associated with any known risk factor, hence the need for vigilance. If you notice a lump in your mouth that wasn't there before or a mouth ulcer which lasts for more than 3 weeks, you should see a dentist or doctor immediately. The money raised from this challenge will go towards helping improve the support for mouth cancer sufferers and their families, as well as highlighting the shocking facts about mouth cancer.”

To sponsor Sarah, please visit more information on the Mouth Cancer Foundation visit

-ENDS-

For general press enquiries, please contact:

Elizabeth Laverack or Izabela Nair

Media Ambitions - 020 8940 2222

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Mouth Cancer Foundation –

The Mouth Cancer Foundation is a registered charity no. 1109298.

The Mouth Cancer Foundation is a charity solely dedicated to supporting people affected by head and neck cancer. Support can play a pivotal role in meeting the psychosocial needs of patients. The Mouth Cancer Foundation’s online and telephone support service has given head and neck cancer patients and families the opportunity to articulate the consequences of their cancer journey and communicate their shared experiences. It is vital that the charity continues to provide free accessible information resources and ensure Mouth Cancer Foundation support is provided to those that need them.

About Mouth Cancer

Around 60,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade.

In the UK, 7,700 people were diagnosed with Mouth Cancer in 2011.

Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, up to half of current smokers will die of a tobacco-related illness – including mouth cancer.

Drinking to excess can increase the risk of mouth cancer by four times. Those who smoke and drink are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.

Mouth cancer is twice more common in men than in women, though an increasing number of women are being diagnosed with the disease.

Age is another factor, with people over the age of 40 more likely to be diagnosed, though more young people are now being affected than previously.

Poor diet is linked to a third of all cancer cases.

Experts suggest the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), transmitted through oral sex, could overtake tobacco and alcohol as the main risk factor within the coming decade.

Cancers can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, and adjacent areas like the throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites in the head and neck area.

Symptoms include:

An ulcer or white or red patch anywhere in the mouth that does not heal within 3 weeks.

A lump or swelling anywhere in the mouth, jaw or neck that persists for more than 3 weeks.

A difficulty in swallowing, chewing or moving the jaw or tongue.

A numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth.

A feeling that something is caught in the throat.

A chronic sore throat or hoarseness that persists more than 6 weeks.

 An unexplained loosening of teeth with no dental cause.

More information about Mouth Cancer is available at the Mouth Cancer Foundation web site or by emailing