A New Zealand woman who bravely fought a rare type of incurable cancer she initially thought was a pimple behind her ear has found out the disease has spread.
Emily Foreman, 21, from Taranaki on the North Island, was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumour at the beginning of 2018 that started as a lump behind her ear.
'It wasn't until April last year, when the lump had doubled in size and my ear was beginning to go numb that I decided to go to my local GP,' Ms Foreman wrote on givealittle.
Emily Foreman, 21 (pictured), from Taranaki on the North Island, was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumour at the beginning of 2018 that started as a lump behind her ear
The then 20-year-old was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who handed her care to another specialist in Palmerston North who deals with rare cases.
'After another biopsy, weeks of waiting, lots of scans, and many phone calls it was confirmed that I had a cancerous tumour,' she said.
Ms Foreman had a large cell undifferentiated carcinoma in her parotid gland - the main salivary gland - which had spread to lymph nodes and required surgery.
The devastated 20-year-old underwent 6-hour surgery to remove the tumour, gland and part of her facial nerve - which left her face partially paralysed on the right.
'Luckily I had the best surgical team possible and they were able to reconnect nerves in my face to help support me to regain some movement,' she said.
While the effects of the surgery were obvious, it didn't worry Ms Foreman, who, after weeks of radiation, was happy to return to work as an early childhood teacher.
Things were finally getting back on track for Ms Foreman, who was planning a 21st birthday party with her mother Sarah Foreman, when she received more bad news.
It was while attending her last appointment in Palmerston North to get the results of her latest CT scan
