A dad-of-two from Cheshire was left devastated after discovering that he had stage four cancer.
Michael Schillinger, 57, from Nantwich, discovered a lump while he was shaving, and initially thought that it was a swollen gland.
Nonetheless, Michael made an appointment with his GP just to be on the safe side, and was immediately given an urgent referral for tests, scans, and a biopsy after his GP was convinced it was cancer.
Sadly, the GP was proven to be correct and Michael had the awful diagnosis confirmed by a consultant at Leighton Hospital in Crewe.
Michael, who has two children, Ben, 16, and Kate, 12, has described the diagnosis as a frightening and traumatic life-changing event.
Reflecting on the shock diagnosis, Michael said: "I remember thinking about my children, and it really hit me that they might have to grow up without a dad there to support them into adulthood. I wanted to keep things as normal as possible and didn't want them worrying.
"My wife Jackie was also extraordinary. She took on the entire responsibility for the family during that period."
Following his diagnosis in 2020, Michael was referred to The Christie hospital in Manchester in September of that year, where he was treated with proton beam therapy at The Christie in Manchester as part of a clinical trial.
He became only the ninth adult patient to join the TORPEdO clinical trial.
The trial compares the impact of proton beam therapy with conventional radiotherapy for patients with oropharyngeal cancer.
He was told while under the treatment of The Christie that his cancer was actually stage three.
But following the head and neck cancer treatment, Michael had a further blow when a scan discovered an unrelated tumour on his kidney. The position of the tumour, however, meant it was relatively straightforward for a surgeon to remove.
Michael, who is an avid swimmer and film buff, has now made a full recovery.
“I’m currently clear of cancer and expect to stay clear”, he said. “My last check-up was in December 2022. The next one will be in December 2023.
"I will be monitored regularly for the first five years. The aftercare has been first-rate, and it is very reassuring to know that The Christie will keep an eye on me for the rest of my life.”
Now Michael is preparing to share his experience with other patients at a high-profile conference on April 28.
Michael said: "I was referred to Dr Price at The Christie in September. Meeting him helped to change my whole outlook on the diagnosis. Until then, I had felt out of control, but Dr Price explained everything and what it meant.
"He told me he was cautiously optimistic about a good outcome and asked if I wanted to join the TORPEdO clinical trial to use proton beam therapy rather than conventional radiotherapy.
"I immediately said yes, as my consultant at Leighton had already recommended that I should.
"Once I was accepted onto the TORPEdO trial my care transferred to Professor Thomson who was also very reassuring and gave me hope.”
Michael had two 18-hour chemotherapy infusions at The Christie and 33 proton beam treatment sessions.
He added: “I can’t imagine having a better experience anyway in the world. The staff were remarkable, very attentive, and every detail had been thought about.
“The first two weeks after the proton treatment was the worst”, he said. “I was struggling to swallow, it was even hard to drink water, but I was determined not to have a feeding tube.”
Michael said he was looking forward to participating in the proton consumer day conference.
He said: "I am pleased to have the opportunity to share my experiences with patients, the staff, and others interested in proton beam therapy.
"If a patient is considering joining a clinical trial, there is a big unknown. Hearing first-hand from other patients will give newly diagnosed patients the information they need and more options to consider."
Anyone interested can register for the conference at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/proton-beam-therapy-consumer-day-tickets-594514407597.
