In February 2023, I received a phone call from my fiancé to tell me she had been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer.

Alice had a small lump at the side of her neck, which we didn’t think anything of at the time. After some time it had gotten bigger, and after seeing an Instagram influencer share a story with similar symptoms, Alice called the doctors. If it wasn’t for this influencer raising awareness, she might not have called so soon.

Thankfully the drs moved quickly on this, and within 2 weeks of her appointment she had tests, scans and a biopsy. She had shortly after been given her diagnosis with a date set for her thyroidectomy surgery to follow a few weeks later. This surgery was part of a clinical trial and was a success.

Before this all happened, neither of us knew much about the thyroid. A small butterfly shaped organ that wraps around your windpipe, it plays a role in every cell of your body.

The BTF is a patient organisation dedicated to supporting people to live better with thyroid disease. This charity provides resources to help people better understand and manage thyroid conditions. Not only cancer, thyroid diseases range from hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, to thyroid eye disease and nodules or swelling.

There is still so much to learn about thyroid health, the BTF are committed to funding research into all forms of thyroid disease. It’s thanks to donations they can fund vital research to improve treatments and outcomes for thyroid patients.

Any support towards this foundation is so greatly appreciated, thank you x Chris Chalat