Rob Husband almost lost his voice to cancer – before he found it again – this time as a patient advocate.
In 2017, Rob, who lives in lovely countryside outside of Huddersfield, was living life to the full. He worked as a Contracts Manager in the construction industry. He spent as much time as possible on his Motorcycles and keeping fit and active
As a former rugby player and cricketer, he was rarely ill, had run several half marathons, loved to walk and remain focused.
Illness had no place in his busy schedule, so it took a while for him to notice his voice was increasingly croaky, and sometimes there was no voice at all.
His partner Sarah, and colleagues had all suggested he should visit the doctor, but Rob put his croakiness down to increased hours after a promotion in his work environment, lifestyle and stress.
At Christmas following several hectic days at work and then lengthy trips to visit family, his partner Sarah insisted he visit the doctor. He finally accepted he may be ill as he wasn’t getting any better. He was able to get a GP appointment within days, and his doctor said that several months was too long for laryngitis, so referred him to a specialist.
A week later, a consultant told him that from his 25 years of experience in head and neck cancers, that Rob had a tumour on his vocal chord.
By that stage the tumour was growing quickly, and Rob found he couldn’t even walk to his local shop without getting out of breath.
A biopsy was booked for 15 January, and Rob expected a quick 30 minute visit as a day visitor. He ended up staying for a week, and was told he had a stage 3 tumour on his right vocal chord which would need both radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
He was taken into a side ward, where he was given the news. He understands there is no easy way to tell someone they have cancer, but he felt isolated and completely unprepared.
“I was 51. I considered myself fit and active. I never expected cancer at this time of life,” recalls Rob.
After an operation to remove as much of the tumour as possible, Rob went home, feeling much better than he had for months. Feeling like his old self, he set off for a country walk, expecting to call at the pub in the next village for lunch. When he found the pub was closed, he planned to walk a little further, and ended up spending the entire day out in the cold.
The resulting infection meant his treatment was brought forward. Rob found himself in the strange world frequented by other cancer patients with days taken up with fittings for his radiotherapy mask, dental checks and hearing tests. He was booked for two full days of chemo and 35 doses of radiotherapy.
Rob considered it a badge of honour that he got himself to St James’ Hospital, Leeds, and rather than having to rely on a walking stick, took to carrying an umbrella with him everywhere.
“As a former lock forward, I had legs like tree trunks but I had lost all muscle tone,” he explained.
On one occasion, he stumbled and fell in a shop at Leeds Station concourse. No one came to his aid, but several bystanders filmed his misfortune on their phones.
“I wonder what they would have thought if I told them why I had fallen down.
“They probably thought I had been drinking but this was at a time when I tried to avoid telling people what I was going through.” His stubbornness to accept the side effects resulted in him constantly carrying an umbrella rather than a stick to prevent further slips and falls, much to the amusement of many. But he felt he would rather be considered eccentric than unable to walk without aid.
There were a few more twists and turns in his cancer journey, with another hospital stay at St James’ for 10 days. A recent hospital check has confirmed there is no evidence of the tumour and Rob will continue to be monitored every six months.
Since going through treatment, Rob has become a powerful advocate for people affected by cancer.
He attended a Health and Wellbeing event, organized by Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Hospital in which patients and carers look at what is on offer once treatment has finished.
“I felt patients ought to know more about what’s on offer when they are first diagnosed, and another couple of patients agreed. For instance one patient was having to buy lots of prescription medication, but no one had told him he could get his prescriptions free of charge.”
Rob and his friends worked with Helen and Mandy from the Macmillan Cancer Support Service to develop First Steps – an information and support programme for newly diagnosed patients and family members. Since the pandemic, this course is now offered online.
Rob also helped to set up a Coffee Club, which used to meet face to face in a local coffee shop, but has successfully transferred to being held online.
Rob has also joined the Yorkshire Cancer Community Board and volunteers as a Cancer Champion with the Cancer SMART initiative, which is run in partnership with West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance, helping to promote screening and raise cancer awareness.
He’s keen to reach anyone but especially men, who like him, bury their heads in the sand, and deny there is a problem, until it’s too late.
“If I had gone to my doctor’s sooner, I wouldn’t have had to have such drastic treatment and pretty much destroy my life for one year,” he added.
As Macmillan Cancer Information Manager Helen Jones told him: “It’s taken you nearly losing your voice to find it.”
Now as well as an active Macmillan Cancer Patient Representative, YCC Cancer Champion and YCC Trustee, Rob takes part in Flat Track Motorcycling, regularly attends the Gym, set up his own business and again lives life to the full, if not fuller than before his cancer journey, proving that cancer shouldn’t be a restriction to anyone.