A person sat outside on a step in front of a festive wreath wearing a coat and scarf, holding a drink.

Shannon an apprentice solicitor from Denton was diagnosed with a rare type of head and neck cancer last December. She had a lump just below her ear on her jaw which caused her jaw to lock and later jaw pain.

After flagging the issue with her doctor and dentist, Shannon was initially treated with antibiotics for wisdom tooth pain and then referred to Manchester University Dental Hospital with a suspected jaw joint problem. An MRI scan, followed by an ultrasound and eventually a biopsy discovered she had salivary gland cancer.

Shannon Griffiths, who was diagnosed with a rare type of head and neck cancer, is now fit and healthy and is raising money for Salivary Gland Cancer UK.

Shannon had surgery to remove the lump two months later and is now fit and healthy and recently ran the Altrincham 10K raising over £2,400 for Salivary Gland Cancer UK.

Shannon says:

“It took me a long time to get a diagnosis, and I want to encourage others to trust their instincts and push for answers. You know your body better than anyone – if something doesn’t feel right, keep pursuing it until you get clarity.

“I used to reassure myself that the lump had been there for years, so it couldn’t be serious. But early detection is key to accessing the best treatment. I’d never even heard of this type of cancer before my diagnosis, and that’s why raising awareness is so important.”

A person pulling up their hair to show their neck
Three people with medals who have just finished an organised run.

Find out more about the full list of symptoms of salivary gland cancer – which can include a painless lump or swelling in your jaw, cheek, mouth or neck and rarely numbness in a part of your face – on the Cancer Research UK website:

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/salivary-gland-cancer/symptoms