Young Tongues

In this deeply reflective and emotional episode of the Young Tongues podcast, Barbara and Steph come together for an honest conversation about grief, recurrence anxiety, survivorship and what it means to keep living fully after a tongue cancer diagnosis. The discussion begins with the recent loss of Naomi — a much-loved long-standing member of the Young Tongues community whose recurrence happened more than five years after treatment. Barbara shares the personal impact of losing someone who had been part of the community since the very beginning, while both hosts openly acknowledge the fear and emotional spirals that news like this can trigger for survivors navigating their own recovery journeys.💬 Need Support?If you’ve been diagnosed with tongue cancer (or are supporting someone who has), you can find help here:🌍 Website🤝 Join support groups & mailing list: via the website💌 Contact us: podcast@youngtonguesglobal.com📢 Get InvolvedWe’re building this with our community — and you can be part of it:✨ Volunteer & share your experience🎙️ Apply to appear on the podcast🧠 Take part in research opportunities💛 Support Our WorkWe’re a small charity with a big mission — and we rely on community support to keep going.👉 Find out more how to make a donation or fundraise for us here📲 Follow & ConnectInstagram | Facebook | TikTok | Mailing List

In this first panel episode of the Young Tongues Podcast, Barbara is joined by Rachael and Kaitlyn to explore the emotional reality of diagnosis.From the long wait between biopsy and results to the moment cancer becomes real, their stories reveal how uncertainty, fear, and shock take hold in different ways. Whether delivered in a five-minute phone call or a face-to-face consultation, the way bad news is given shapes how it’s understood and remembered.As the conversation unfolds, the panel reflects on the overwhelming nature of treatment information, the gap between clinical explanations and lived experience, and the importance of support during this time.💬 Need Support?If you’ve been diagnosed with tongue cancer (or are supporting someone who has), you can find help here:🌍 Website🤝 Join support groups & mailing list: via the website💌 Contact us: podcast@youngtonguesglobal.com📢 Get InvolvedWe’re building this with our community — and you can be part of it:✨ Volunteer & share your experience🎙️ Apply to appear on the podcast🧠 Take part in research opportunities💛 Support Our WorkWe’re a small charity with a big mission — and we rely on community support to keep going.👉 Find out more how to make a donation or fundraise for us here📲 Follow & ConnectInstagram | Facebook | TikTok | Mailing List

In this episode, Barbara, Jamie and Stef dive into something that doesn’t get talked about enough: what actually happens after treatment ends.You reach that milestone and everyone around you breathes a sigh of relief. You’re told to get back to normal. Move on. Be grateful. But it’s not that simple.We talk about the reality of life after tongue cancer: the anxiety that lingers between scans, the physical aftermath your body is still dealing with, and the strange identity shift that comes when the “big scary thing” is no longer front and centre — but never fully gone.From navigating follow-ups and healthcare systems, to learning how to trust your body again (or not), this is an honest conversation about survivorship that goes beyond the word “remission.” Because being “all clear” doesn’t mean everything is.💬 Need Support?If you’ve been diagnosed with tongue cancer (or are supporting someone who has), you can find help here:🌍 Website🤝 Join support groups & mailing list: via the website💌 Contact us: podcast@youngtonguesglobal.com📢 Get InvolvedWe’re building this with our community — and you can be part of it:✨ Volunteer & share your experience🎙️ Apply to appear on the podcast🧠 Take part in research opportunities💛 Support Our WorkWe’re a small charity with a big mission — and we rely on community support to keep going.👉 Find out more how to make a donation or fundraise for us here📲 Follow & ConnectInstagram | Facebook | TikTok | Mailing List

In this episode, we’re joined by Laura (aka Dizz), one of the original members of Young Tongues, a trustee, and someone who has been part of this journey from the very beginning. Laura shares her full story — from the first symptoms that didn’t seem like anything serious, to a devastating diagnosis and being told she may never speak or swallow again. What follows is a journey shaped by second opinions, a groundbreaking clinical trial, and an extraordinary amount of resilience.💬 Need Support?If you’ve been diagnosed with tongue cancer (or are supporting someone who has), you can find help here:🌍 Website🤝 Join support groups & mailing list: via the website💌 Contact us: podcast@youngtonguesglobal.com📢 Get InvolvedWe’re building this with our community — and you can be part of it:✨ Volunteer & share your experience🎙️ Apply to appear on the podcast🧠 Take part in research opportunities💛 Support Our WorkWe’re a small charity with a big mission — and we rely on community support to keep going.👉 Find out more how to make a donation or fundraise for us here📲 Follow & ConnectInstagram | Facebook | TikTok | Mailing List

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Kevin Harrington, one of the world’s leading experts in head and neck cancer, to break down what’s really changing in tongue cancer treatment, and what it means for patients today. We talk about the rise in younger patients without clear risk factors, why we still don’t fully understand why this is happening, and what that uncertainty means for the future. We also dive into immunotherapy: what it actually is, how it works, and why it’s starting to change outcomes in ways that simply weren’t possible before. 💬 Need Support?If you’ve been diagnosed with tongue cancer (or are supporting someone who has), you can find help here:🌍 Website🤝 Join support groups & mailing list: via the website💌 Contact us: podcast@youngtonguesglobal.com📢 Get InvolvedWe’re building this with our community — and you can be part of it:✨ Volunteer & share your experience🎙️ Apply to appear on the podcast🧠 Take part in research opportunities💛 Support Our WorkWe’re a small charity with a big mission — and we rely on community support to keep going.👉 Find out more how to make a donation or fundraise for us here📲 Follow & ConnectInstagram | Facebook | TikTok | Mailing List

Season 3 is officially here and we’re coming back bigger, louder, and with a brand new co-host.In this episode, we welcome Stef as our third co-host, reflect on how Young Tongues began, and share what’s coming this season — from honest conversations and expert guests to your stories. We also cover the growth of our global community, why fundraising matters, and exciting updates across research, policy and future plans, including building a Patient Hub to make information clearer and more accessible. We also explore what it means to live beyond diagnosis — the reality, the humour, and everything in between.💬 Need Support?If you’ve been diagnosed with tongue cancer (or are supporting someone who has), you can find help here:🌍 Website🤝 Join support groups & mailing list: via the website💌 Contact us: podcast@youngtonguesglobal.com📢 Get InvolvedWe’re building this with our community — and you can be part of it:✨ Volunteer & share your experience🎙️ Apply to appear on the podcast🧠 Take part in research opportunities💛 Support Our WorkWe’re a small charity with a big mission — and we rely on community support to keep going.👉 Find out more how to make a donation or fundraise for us here📲 Follow & ConnectInstagram | Facebook | TikTok | Mailing List

In the final episode of Season 2 of the Young Tongues Podcast, hosts Barbara and Jamie revisit the highlights of the past year. They reflect on the podcast’s accomplishments, sharing their favorite moments, standout guests and the most impactful interviews. The conversation turns personal as they explore childhood memories and cultural roots—Barbara’s in Switzerland and Jamie’s in San Diego. They also take a moment to thank their audience and acknowledge key contributors, including a special segment recognising individuals with honorary awards. The season wraps up with an open invitation for listener suggestions as they look ahead to Season 3.

In this episode of the Young Tongues Podcast, host Barbara sits down with Amelia, a fellow tongue cancer patient and mother of three, to share her powerful and deeply personal journey. Amelia's story begins in May 2024 with what seemed like a minor ulcer on her tongue—an issue initially dismissed by her dentist. Trusting her instincts, she sought a second opinion from her GP, leading to a biopsy and a life-changing diagnosis of tongue cancer.Amelia walks us through the whirlwind that followed: a partial glossectomy, neck dissection, and a radial forearm free flap reconstruction. She opens up about the difficult road to recovery, including the unexpected challenge of vocal cord palsy and the emotional weight of radiotherapy.Despite ongoing complications and the need for additional surgery, Amelia remains resilient. She speaks candidly about the strength she draws from her support system and her unwavering determination to live life to the fullest. The episode closes as she looks ahead to an upcoming procedure, facing the future with courage and hope.