Liverpool (England) - British man Stuart Kingston (63) had problems swallowing and therefore ate very little, but didn't want to worry his wife Carol and kept it to himself. Until she took a closer look at him in August 2020 and noticed the change in her husband's face.

"During the pandemic, of course, we kept our distance from each other. It wasn't until later in the year, when we were traveling in the caravan and sitting close together, that I saw how uneven his face looked," Carol says in the statement from the Clatterbridge Cancer Center.

The patient didn't want to make a big fuss, but his daughter finally knew no mercy when she spotted lumps on his neck and noticed huge changes in his speech. The retired teacher had to undergo a health check, which revealed tongue cancer.

A combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was to bring about the Brit's recovery.

"The night before I started my treatment, Carol and I went to see the Blackpool Illuminations (a festival of lights) and promised each other that we would come back when my treatment was finished," Stuart recalled.

The man's treatment was successful, but he first had to relearn basic skills such as eating, drinking and speaking.

Dedicated staff at the medical facility helped him with this, even after he had returned home.

The cancer patient was terrified of losing his ability to speak, but he is now able to articulate clearly again.

"Don't think you're invincible, like I was. Speak to a specialist if you notice any symptoms and put yourself in the hands of experts," the now cured patient told other people.