In an effort to increase awareness about the importance of annual oral cancer screenings, Forward Science, the creators of OralID, and the Oral Cancer Foundation have partnered to share the story of a family’s loss after a protracted and difficult battle with oral cancer.
In a video narrated by the daughter of an oral cancer victim, the importance of regular/routine oral cancer screenings is stressed, and the daughter shares a first-hand view of why early detection is critical.
To view the touching story of Carol Layer’s fight with oral cancer, told by her extraordinary daughter, Rachel, visit http://www.oralid.com/carolsfight.
“Until there is a cure, the best solution is early discovery. Early detection can not only save people’s lives, but preserve the quality of life.” Rachel continues to compete in marathons and relay races in her mother’s memory, wearing “Carol’s Fight” on her shirt in every race. She emphasizes the importance of sharing her mom’s story with the world, with the hope of preventing future stories like her own.
She said, “I certainly learned a lot about life and death and what it meant to be resilient through her, and I hope my mom’s story carries forward to people.”
At 44 years old, Carol Layer had no traditional risk factors (alcohol or tobacco use) and was not a patient who was in the high-risk category for oral cancer. Carol found a lesion on the side of her tongue and decided to have it examined by her dentist. After numerous referrals, and even a negative biopsy, Carol’s worst fear became a reality: she was diagnosed with Stage IV oral cancer. She fought oral cancer for 9 long years before sadly losing her battle in 2011. Carol is survived by her husband and two children. Oral cancer kills one American ever hour, and it continues to affect patients who may not have traditional risk factors. The key to lowering the number of fatalities due to this vicious disease is the discovery of lesions or suspicious tissues before they progress into cancer.
With the oral cancer screening devices available today, such as the OralID, many times clinicians may now have a way to discover abnormalities before they are visible with the naked eye.
Forward Science is a privately held medical device company based in Houston, Texas. With the launch of OralID and CytID, Forward Science provides dental offices with a complete oral health protocol, entitled F.A.C.T. (Fluorescence Assessment and Cytology Test). For more information, go to www.oralid.com or call (855) 696-7254.
The Oral Cancer Foundation, founded by oral cancer survivor Brian R. Hill, is an IRS registered non-profit 501(c)(3) public service charity that provides information, patient support, sponsorship of research, and advocacy related to oral cancer. The Oral Cancer Foundation maintains the web site: www.oralcancer.org.
This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.
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