Mother, 27, who was told her cancer was just a cold may never speak again after treatment caused her throat to DOUBLE in size

A mother who had her voicebox removed to battle her cancer has been told she may never speak again – after it caused her throat to double in size.

Heather Longdon, from Nottingham, was told by her GP she was suffering from a cold because she had a constant cough and sore throat.

But after six months of persistence, doctors finally diagnosed her with stage three laryngeal cancer. 

Seven weeks of treatment left the 27-year-old cancer free, but unfortunately it had returned just four months later. 

After having her voice box removed, she was left with a swollen throat and unable to talk as a result of suffering complications.

Doctors revealed it was an infection that caused her to be bedbound as her friends and family have began to fundraise for a voicebox transplant in the US.

Heather Longdon, from Nottingham, thought she was suffering from a cold because she had a constant cough and sore throat. But after a trip to the doctors last August, she was diagnosed with stage three laryngeal cancer

Ms Longdon, who can only communicate via email from her hospital bed, said: ‘I felt destroyed inside when I was first diagnosed.

‘All I could think of was my son, I thought I wouldn’t make it but I had to put my feelings aside and get on with it.

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‘It was the most awful thing in my life and the treatment was so draining and then going home to my son took its toll on me.

‘It’s the scariest thing ever to happen. It makes you see life a lot differently.’

Mrs Longdon was first diagnosed with cancer in April 2015 and underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy every day for seven weeks.

The 27-year-old underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy every day for seven weeks in an attempt to rid her of the disease. But after the grueling treatment regime, she was left with a swollen throat and unable to speak as a result of suffering complications

She was given the all clear in February this year.

However, after suffering from pains four months later – which doctors said were routine side effects of her treatment – she demanded a biopsy.

It revealed the cancer had returned and they were forced to perform a laryngectomy – the removal of her voice box.

Doctors expected her to stay in hospital for around 10 days recovering from the surgery.

But as she suffered an infection which caused her entire throat to puff up she spent seven further weeks in there. 

In two further operations, she had to have a drainer in her neck because of complications.

Then surgeons compressed her jugular veins to try and combat the swelling of her face.

In February, she was given the all clear. However, just four months later the cancer was found to have returned and she had to have her voice box removed

But pressure is once again building up in her veins, but because she keeps getting infected surgeons are unable to operate.  

She is unable to speak and is desperate to tell her son that she loves him. 

Mrs Longdon added: ‘If I could get to somewhere that I could get a better voice box that would mean the world to me.

‘To be able to tell my son I love him, just little things like that, it means so little to some people as they have a voice.

‘But mine’s been taken away and I didn’t realise how much is taken it for granted until it was gone.

‘I’m just thankful to still be here to watch my son grow and make plenty of memories.’

Doctors said her cancer had never gone and if the biopsy had not been performed she wouldn’t have lived to see Christmas. 

She was expected to spend 10 days in hospital recovering but after she suffered an infection which caused her entire throat to puff up she spent seven further weeks in there

She had to have a drainer in her neck because of the procedure and then surgeons compressed her jugular veins to try and combat the swelling – but neither worked

However, Ms Longdon said there are still no signs of her being allowed to go home for another month. 

Her options remain limited, but her family have found a specialist in California who may be able to offer her a voicebox transplant. 

Her husband, Ben, 28, said: ‘She’s just been so strong throughout, it’s been really incredible.

‘There were so many times when she could have given up, but she didn’t.

‘She could have said she wouldn’t have her voice box removed, she could have said that’s enough, but she battles on.

‘It makes me stay strong too. We haven’t been given a time when she might be sent home, as they still need to operate as something went wrong when they removed her voice box.

‘It would mean so much if we got the money towards this surgery in California.

‘We’ve had two years of terrible news and we just want it to start getting better now.’

Now her friend, Chantelle White has set up a fundraising page to take some financial pressure off the young mother.

She revealed her frustration that Mrs Longdon’s cancer wasn’t diagnosed earlier.

However, Ms Longdon said there are still no signs of her being allowed to go home for another month (pictured before her surgery with boyfriend Ben, 28, and their one-year-old son, Kian)

Her options remain limited, but her family have found a specialist in California who may be able to offer her a voicebox transplant and allow her to speak again

She added: ‘We’ll never know what would have happened if the cancer had been discovered earlier. It could have been so different.

‘Small things that we do every day and take for granted are the things that Heather is hoping she can one day do herself.

‘To you and I, singing in the shower or talking to ourselves would be classed as a bad habit. 

‘But to Heather those are luxuries that she would love to experience just one last time.

‘A lot of people idolise celebrities or other reputable people but I can honestly say there isn’t anyone I look up to more than Heather herself.

‘Throughout her whole journey she has continued to show endless amounts of courage and determination. 

‘Heather genuinely does deserve a break from reality and I’d love to show her how much of an inspiration she is to everyone who knows her and her story.’

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/2t0qbcc.