16 years and counting of living with the side effects of tongue/head/neck cancer. It is a challenge every day and every day they are different. The different issues that arise through the years. Having such a grounded support group goes a long way. Not just for me but it spills over to my family too. 

I was Molly's caregiver, and I'm proud to say that.  I would do it all over again, and I would continue to care for her until the end of time. These last 6 years were hard.  All of the doctor visits, the scanxiety, the constant changing of plans, and only being allowed to live your life 3 weeks at a time.  It was exhausting.  My role as a caregiver though was unique and very different from Molly's as a patient.  Yes we both wanted the same thing, and that was for Molly to be healthy, but I could never fathom what she was actually feeling.  All of the needle pokes, surgeries, being bolted down for yet another round of radiation, and all of the drugs that were administered to her were unfathomable to me when I  haven't experienced that myself. 

That's the thing that I don't think I truly understood until Molly began receiving treatment for cancer, you lose agency over your own body.  Sure, they would always ask what your wishes were, you give consent to treatment and go over potential side effects, sign all of the legal paperwork and questionnaires, but is it really a choice when the only other option is death?  And to be clear, I'm not complaining about her care.  Molly received the best care, from the best doctors, using the newest and best emerging technologies available in the country.  But it was absolutely exhausting, for both of us.  And even then, I could never fully understand the exhaustion she felt. 

In April of 2022, I got the opportunity to travel to New York with Molly to meet many of the women that made Young Tongues, the support group that was formed for young adults that had been diagnosed with oral cancer.  I had heard so much about all of them through Molly, and it was so surreal to meet them in person.  These people, whom I had never met, provided so much support for Molly.  At that time Molly had no evidence of disease.  A single surgery removed the tumor from her tongue.  She was told, "go live your life".  She felt like she dodged a bullet.  Many of the women that I met on that visit had already gone through so much more.  Could Molly really be done?  She already passed huge benchmarks in recovery and monitoring.  I had no idea how much she was going to need this group going forward. 

That's why Molly shared everything about her health and treatments, the information that is out there is either outdated or not relevant to young adults.  The Young Tongues group, and all of the others that she met throughout the cancer community, provided a level of support and understanding that I couldn't provide.  And for that I am eternally grateful. 

Today had been hard for multiple reasons.  I had to complete her death certificate this morning.  It felt like a dream.  Today is also the first, first for me.  This would have been Molly's 36th birthday.  This is the first big date since she passed, especially cruel that it's only been two days since I lost her.  Birthdays were special for Molly.  She never fretted over aging, because each year lived was a blessing that was meant to be celebrated.  

I know times are tough right now, but if you want to give a gift for Molly I ask that you make a small donation to the community that supported Molly when she needed it the most. 

Molly's Birthday Fundraiser

Young Tongues supports tongue cancer patients diagnosed aged 18–64 worldwide. 

Young Tongues exists because younger adults diagnosed with tongue cancer were being left without the support, understanding or resources they urgently needed. When our founder, Barbara Fountain, was diagnosed at 32, she discovered there was no community for younger patients, no age-appropriate information and no guidance that reflected the realities of working, parenting, relationships or identity at this life stage.

That gap wasn’t unique to her — it was happening everywhere.

Today, Young Tongues is the only organisation in the world dedicated specifically to people diagnosed aged 18–64 facing tongue cancer, a group whose numbers are rising quickly. Through digital peer support groups, monthly virtual meet-ups, in-person gatherings and a growing global network, we bring together patients and their supporters from across the globe to ensure no one feels alone in their experience.

Thanks to donors, we provide practical, trustworthy, clinically reviewed resources; a widely appreciated podcast sharing real stories; and direct partnerships with researchers and clinicians to ensure younger patients’ experiences shape the future of diagnosis, care and treatment. We also speak internationally to help healthcare professionals recognise symptoms sooner and understand the distinct challenges this age group faces.

Our next major initiative is the Young Tongues Patient Hub - a new website that makes finding clinically safe information written from a patient perspective more accessible AND the Young Tongues Patient Insight Platform — a global project to turn lived experiences into evidence powerful enough to influence research, improve care and support earlier diagnosis. This is a bold step forward, but it can only happen with donor support.

Young Tongues receives no government funding. It costs around £60,000 a year just to maintain our current work. Every donation has a direct impact: keeping our support groups running, expanding our resources, accelerating vital advocacy and helping us build the systems younger adults desperately need.

Your support helps make sure no young person faces tongue cancer in isolation and that the future of care for this growing group is built on understanding, compassion and evidence.

**US-based donors**

*U.S.-based donors can make tax-deductible contributions to the \**Young Tongues Fund*\* at Myriad USA. Because Myriad USA is a public charity, within the meaning of Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the IRC, donors may claim the maximum tax benefits allowed by U.S. tax law for their contributions. If you wish to support us, here is how to proceed:*

- *Gifts by check: Address your check to Myriad USA, write \**Young Tongues Fund*\* in the memo section of the check, and send it to Myriad USA at 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10176*
- \*Gifts by credit card on this page: [**https://www.every.org/young-tongues/f/fund-the-foundations**](https://www.every.org/young-tongues/f/fund-the-foundations)\*
- *Gifts by wire transfer or to contribute other types of property: Contact Myriad USA via email at [donations@myriadusa.org](mailto:info@myriadusa.org) or phone (212) 713-7660.*

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