Sue's story

[AlexChangingFaces]

"Last April, I had a pain in my left cheek and a small lump on my cheekbone. It turned out to be an aggressive cancerous tumour, and it was growing at an alarming rate. I had an emergency biopsy which removed the tumour, my cheekbone and all the nerves on that side of my face. To replace it: a titanium cheekbone and skin from my thigh.

"Since having cancer it’s been hard to process the emotional impact of looking different to other people. It’s something that’s not talked about much and has affected me deeply. I look in the mirror, and I can’t see me anymore. Something has changed in my eyes - as if a light has gone out.

"Thank goodness for Changing Faces and their online support group. Weekly sessions with around eight other people who have a variety of visible differences has helped me realise I’m not alone. It’s helped me work hard to turn that light back on and find me again. I know I’m in there somewhere – and I’m going to be a survivor, not a victim!

"The group forum showed me how different people cope with their visible difference. Even though our visible differences aren’t the same, we’ve all shared similar experiences. We’ve all been stared at, felt self-conscious, lost our confidence and are seeking support. We were a group of people from different walks of life coming together to share our stories, heal together and nurture ourselves back to being us. Each week, we would discuss a different topic, like how to manage negative thinking, or how to cope with other people’s reactions.

"You will get so much back from joining. Even if you don’t want to say a lot, just listening to others really helps. Sometimes it also helps you to face up to something that you have been running away from.

"Since completing my group sessions I have become stronger and more determined to take my life as it is and move on. I know I will still not be the person I was, but it’s time to love the person I am now."

Sue shares her story: bit.ly/3LHI6x1