Amateur motorcyclist discovered he had mouth cancer after his wisdom tooth was ...

An amateur motorcyclist who 'cheated death' after being diagnosed with advanced mouth cancer had his jaw replaced in groundbreaking surgery.

Andy Gale, 50, was told he had stage-four squamous cell carcinoma in January 2014, after the wound left behind by a removed wisdom tooth failed to heal two weeks after it was taken out over the Christmas before.  

The father-of-three, of Bridgwater, Somerset, went under the knife in a 12-hour operation that saw six surgeons replace 30 per cent of his jaw with steel and bone from his shin. 

Unable to eat for six weeks, Mr Gale then endured chemo and radiotherapy while he 'went to war with cancer'.

Now healthy, the amateur motorcyclist threw himself into the sport he loves and even won the prestigious RallyMoto Cup less than a year after getting the all-clear. 

Andy Gale had 30 per cent of his jaw removed and replaced with steel, and his own shinbone, after developing advanced mouth cancer. Pictured after the surgery, with his scar prominent, Mr Gale then endured chemo and radiotherapy before finally being given the all-clear

Andy Gale had 30 per cent of his jaw removed and replaced with steel, and his own shinbone, after developing advanced mouth cancer. Pictured after the surgery, with his scar prominent, Mr Gale then endured chemo and radiotherapy before finally being given the all-clear

While battling the disease, Mr Gale felt 'akin to going to war, but it was a war with cancer'. To take his mind off the emotional turmoil, the amateur motorcycling racer threw himself into the sport he loves. Less than a year after ending treatment, he won a prestigious competition 

While battling the disease, Mr Gale felt 'akin to going to war, but it was a war with cancer'. To take his mind off the emotional turmoil, the amateur motorcycling racer threw himself into the sport he loves. Less than a year after ending treatment, he won a prestigious competition 

Mr Gale was referred to a specialist for a biopsy when his removed wisdom teeth was not healing. 

Speaking of when he was told he had cancer, Mr Gale said: 'When there are six doctors in the room, you know you're in trouble.' 

'I told them not to sugar-coat it and they said that cancer had filled the space where the tooth had been removed.'

Mr Gale was told he needed surgery, which involved doctors replacing a large section of his jaw with a titanium track that mimics the missing bone. 

Once recovered, the amateur motorcyclist faced the next stage of treatment. 

'During my last radiotherapy session I thought the worse was over, but due to the cumulative effect, mentally I felt it was akin to going to war, but it was a war with cancer,' Mr Gale said.

'Nobody told me how difficult the chemo and radiotherapy would be mentally. When I came out of it, I just felt a bit lost.

'I had focused so much on the recovery, everything else had been put on hold.'

Mr Gale was eventually diagnosed with depression and had counselling.  

X-ray is of Mr Gale's jaw after surgery, which shows the large section that was removed and replaced with a titanium track that mimics the missing bone. He could not eat for six weeks 

X-ray is of Mr Gale's jaw after surgery, which shows the large section that was removed and replaced with a titanium track that mimics the missing bone. He could not eat for six weeks 

This is not the first time Mr Gale has had a health scare after he endured two serious heart attacks in his early 40s.

'I feel I've cheated death a number of times but I'm living the dream now,' he said. 'Everything I have today feels like a bonus and I want to show there's life after cancer.

'I love the simple things. I have a nice, supportive family. I am happy with who I am and what I have done, and I am at peace.' 

Although Mr Gale is able to look on the bright side of life now, his illness took its toll, with his wife Ellie, daughter Elizabeth, 20, and stepsons Alex, 30, and Will, 25, also being deeply affected by the ordeal. 

'My wife and family have been a massive support throughout all of this,' he said. 'It's not just you that goes through cancer, it affects them too. 

'Looking back, it was hard breaking the news to my daughter. She was living in New Zealand and we would have Skype calls where I would make sure the light was low and only showed one side of my face.'

After the pioneering operation, Mr Gale had plastic surgery but still has a prominent scar down his jaw, as well as

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