Colin Hodgkinson, 66, Diagnosed With Throat Cancer After Choking on Tea
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 22
Colin Hodgkinson, 66, Diagnosed With Throat Cancer After Choking on Tea
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 22
Summary
July 5 tests after Colin Hodgkinson passed out during a choking episode revealed masses in his neck and throat, leading to a diagnosis of Oropharyngeal cancer.
More than a year of swallowing trouble, tongue ulcers and major weight loss had gone unexplained, his daughter Connie said, despite repeated requests for a specialist referral.
Hospital staff noticed he still could not swallow properly while treating a head injury from the fall, prompting MRI scans and a biopsy that identified the cancer.
The family does not yet know how advanced the cancer is, but Hodgkinson is expected to start chemotherapy and may also need surgery.
Connie called the choking incident a possible lifesaver, urged others to keep pushing for answers when symptoms persist, and launched a GoFundMe for a family trip before treatment.