Advocate for Your Health A Lesson from Daniel Jackson
- Daniel Jackson, 43, was was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the ethmoid sinus, a type of head and neck cancer, in 2012.
- His diagnosis came after he went to the doctor regarding his watery eye which, as he would later find out, was caused by a tumor pushing up against it.
- Jackson’s treatment involved the removal of his eye and the tissue around it followed by radiotherapy. He was left with a large hole in his face that he ended up fixing with drastic reconstruction.
- Advocating for your health is extremely important. You never know when speaking up about issues with your body can make a world of difference for health outcomes. One of our experts says that there should be a plan for what the doctor is going to do for you after your leave every appointment.
Jackson, a 43-year-old from Margate, England, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the ethmoid sinus a type of head and neck cancer in 2012. Interestingly enough, the unusual road to get to this rare diagnosis began when his eye would not stop watering. He was initially given eye drops and antibiotics, but nothing seemed to help. Eventually, he went for a scan.
Read More“Radiotherapy had a devastating effect on the soft tender skin on my face, and slowly the stitched-up areas opened back up and I was left with a huge hole in my face,” he said. “My face had been hollowed out to the extreme that I could look in a mirror and see my tongue moving.”
After drastic reconstruction, Jackson is now happy with the way he looks.
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“I have made peace with the fact I can never look the way I once did, but I won't let it stop me living my second chance of life," he said.
And making the most of his life now includes sharing his story to raise awareness for people with facial differences. He’s even partnered with Changing Faces for its I Am Not Your Villain campaign which “calls on those in the film industry script writers, casting directors, film producers, production companies and directors to stop using scars, burns or marks as a shorthand for villainy.”
“An amazing future awaits our next generation if we learn to be kind, non-judgemental, and accepting of differences,” Jackson said.
Understanding Ethmoid Sinus Cancer
Daniel Jackson’s official diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma in the ethmoid sinus. Ethmoid sinus cancer is a type of paranasal sinus cancer a cancer in the head and neck category that begins in the air-filled spaces in the skull around the nose. The ethmoid sinuses, more specifically, are just behind either side of the upper nose. According to the American Cancer Society, squamous cell carcinomas a type of cancer in which squamous epithelial cells, or the flat cells that line the sinuses and make up most of the mucosa (mucus-producing tissue) are the most common type of cancer in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Still, cancers of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are rare and make up about 3 to 5 percent of all head and neck cancers in the United States.
As far as risk factors for nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancers are concerned, workplace exposures from certain jobs fall at the top of the list. According to the American Cancer Society, breathing in certain substances while at work such as the following increases your risk:
- Wood dusts from carpentry (such as furniture and cabinet builders), sawmills, and other wood-related industries
- Dusts from textiles (textile plants)
- Leather dusts (shoemaking)
- Flour (baking and flour milling)
- Nickel and chromium dust
- Mustard gas (a poison used in chemical warfare)
- Radium (a radioactive element rarely used today)
Advocating for Your Health
Whether you are currently battling cancer or worried that you might have it, it's always important to advocate for your health. Cancer is an incredibly serious disease, and you have every right to insist that your doctors investigate any possible signs of cancer. Or, like in the above case, if you simply have no idea what's causing issues with your body, you should still seek professional help.
“They say you should always see your GP [general practitioner] if you feel there is something not quite right, and I was a young strong male who frankly didn't have the patience to see my GP about my irritated eye,” Daniel Jackson said. “A simple everyday body defect which normally clears up on its own continued for some time, until I did, only on reflection do I feel there may have been a chance to avoid the consequences, but I will never know.”
Needless to say, you never know when speaking up about a seemingly unimportant issue can lead to a very important diagnosis cancer or otherwise. And when you do seek out a doctor, it’s important to make sure they’re actively addressing your concerns.
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle
"Every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn't work, what the next plan is," Dr. Zuri Murell, director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "And I think that that's totally fair. And me as a health professional that's what I do for all of my patients."
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, April Knowles explained how she became a breast cancer advocate after her doctor dismissed the lump in her breast as a side effect of her menstrual period. Unfortunately, that dismissal was a mistake. Knowles was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 39. She said the experience taught her the importance of listening to her body and speaking up when something doesn't feel right.
I Wanted My Doctor To Like Me, Then He Missed My Breast Cancer
"I wanted my doctor to like me," she said. "I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors."
Figuring out whether or not you actually have cancer based on possible symptoms is critical because early detection may help with treatment and outcomes. Seeking multiple opinions is one way to ensure you're getting the care and attention you need.
One thing to remember is that not all doctors are in agreement. Recommendations for further testing or treatment options can vary, and sometimes it's essential to talk with multiple medical professionals.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.