Father of two who had half his face removed after the family dog ​​sniffed out an aggressive tumor gets a second chance at life

A FATHER who would be “dead in weeks” if his dog didn’t smell his stage 4 cancer has been given a second chance at life.

Mark Allen, 65, who was given just weeks to live after being diagnosed with an aggressive tumor, is urging Brits to keep an eye out for symptoms.

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The brutal cancer spread to most of the right side of the consultancy CEO’s face, and he ignored his symptoms for almost 12 months.

The father-of-two noticed his now-deceased collie cross Jessie acting strangely before his diagnosis.

The Warwick man said he didn’t mind her poking, pawing and overly affectionate behavior, but now puts it down to her feeling in poor health.

This prompted him to go to the doctor, where he underwent a grueling operation and facial reconstruction to remove the tumor.

Although Mark ignored his symptoms for almost a year, he is now encouraging others not to do the same.

Mark said: “I couldn’t breathe through my right nostril for about a year or so because of a polyp.

“We had three dogs at the time, and Jessie was acting strange, clinging to my legs and behaving in a close way that she had never done before.

“When I finally went to the doctor and got the results of some tests, I think I already knew it was cancer because of Jessie’s behavior.

“If I had gone to the doctor sooner, I’m sure the treatment wouldn’t have been as serious as it turned out to be, but I allowed the cancer to get to stage 4.

“I asked the consultant what would happen if I didn’t have the surgery and he said I would die within weeks.

“Our faces are like our most visible fingerprint.

“They are a big part of our identity and the idea of ​​disfiguring their face is scary, but I had no choice but to go ahead with the operation.”

Tragically, her dog Jessie, who was 10 years old at the time, died in 2019, according to Online Mail.

Mark spent more than 10 hours on the operating table as surgeons removed the tumor and half of his face in November 2017.

His cheek was replaced with a piece of pelvic bone and his jaw was replaced with titanium plates.

Surgeons also reconstructed the roof of his mouth and throat with tissue from his abdomen.

They also removed her eye socket and removed her lymph nodes and salivary glands from the right side of her neck to stop the cancer from spreading further.

Mark said: “They managed to remove the tumor cleanly, but they had to remove my eye socket, which is now titanium mesh.

“My cheekbone is now made from my pelvic bone.”

After the operation and several weeks of recovery, he had to undergo intensive radiotherapy as part of his post-operative care.

He added: “The ongoing radiotherapy was quite unpleasant.

“I lost three and a half stone, which hair on one side of my head and I also lost all taste, so eating was a matter of survival.

“You never know when something could happen and change your life significantly.”

Mark has now teamed up with a charity founded in the Midlands, the Get A-Head Charitable Fundto raise awareness about the risks of head and neck cancer.

He said: “I’m very lucky and would be in a very different place if it weren’t for charities like Get A-Head who helped fund some of the vital equipment used in reconstructing my face.

“I will never be the same as I was, but when I was diagnosed, I promised myself two things: that I wouldn’t feel sorry for myself and that something good would come out of my situation.

“The good thing is, seven years later, I’m still here to tell the story and help raise awareness alongside Get A-Head.

“My advice to others is not to ignore the symptoms. If something doesn’t feel right, seek advice.”

Danni Heath, director of the Get A-Head Trust, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024, said: “Mark’s story is inspiring.

“It’s a question of hope and survival, but also reality for many people.

“In the UK, the number of head and neck cancer cases is increasing by 3% per year and, unfortunately, the majority of cases are diagnosed at stage three or four, making treatment longer and more invasive.

“At Get A-Head, we make it our mission to improve the lives of these people by funding research, education and providing equipment.

“We sincerely hope that people will heed Mark’s valuable advice and seek medical help if they experience any symptoms that they may be concerned about.”

The main symptoms of head and neck cancer include persistent sore throat, pain or difficulty swallowing, lumps in the neck, nosebleeds, speech problems, ear pain, and a persistent stuffy nose.

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