Saskia Rogers never thought the ulcer in her mouth was anything to worry about.
The then 16-year-old schoolgirl from Hobart, Tasmania, could feel a small lump on the roof of her mouth with her tongue, which eventually grew to the size of a pea.
During an appointment with a GP for an unrelated problem, he mentioned the “unusual” ulcer that “never went away”.
The doctor advised him to keep an eye on it because the lump did not pose any “immediate concern.”
A year later, Saskia noticed that the lump had “quadrupled in size”, becoming hard and painful, with a “bright purple appearance”.
When she returned to the doctors, she was told the lump was “probably nothing”, and a GP ruled out cancer and the need to remove it.
But after months of pain, she decided to have surgery to remove the lump, which led her to discover her condition was much worse.
The persistent mouth ulcer turned out to be oral cancer.
Saskia Rogers never thought the ulcer in her mouth was something to worry about
Before her diagnosis, Saskia was like another “normal” teenager.
She was a “fit and healthy” Year 11 student who enjoyed exercising every week and loved outdoor activities, including long walks, snorkelling and regular trips with family and friends.
“I studied hard and focused on school with the dream of going into medicine,” said Saskia, now 20 years old.
‘He had many friends and was part of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra, playing the cello at weekends. I felt normal. I was normal.’
While she felt “strong” and was “in better shape” than ever, she often became ill with common viruses and spent an “abnormal” amount of time feeling sick.
“I got fatigued before my peers, signs that my immune system was worried,” he said.
“Naturally, in the middle of year 11 and in my busy schedule it wasn’t anything that seemed particularly notable, more something that happened to me.”
Shortly after turning 16 in June 2020, Saskia was bored at school one day, so she started licking her mouth when she felt an “injury” on the roof of her mouth.
“It started as an area of raw skin in the mouth, and the surrounding skin seemed to blister,” he said.
When the ulcer began to hurt to the touch, he went to see a family doctor.
“My GP agreed it was unusual and said it was probably nothing, but decided to refer us to a specialist surgeon just in case,” he said.
“On the specialist’s advice, we followed up with CT scans and they told me it was a benign lump with no malignant properties.”
After months of pain, she decided to have surgery to remove the lump, which led her to discover that her condition was much worse.
Saskia said she was “naturally relieved” when she was told the lump was not cancerous.
‘I mean, at 16, no one expects something like cancer to appear. That will never happen to you,’ he explained.
“It was unexpected to hear that the lump did not need to be removed, and I remember being taken by surprise when I was given the option of elective surgery.
“My parents were very supportive and said they would support me through surgery if it affected my daily life, a choice that could very well have saved my life.”
The lump, which measured approximately 2cm long and 1.5cm wide, protruded from the center of his hard palate.
After undergoing three major surgeries, including oral reconstruction, which left a hole in her mouth, Saskia was diagnosed with oral cancer.
“It’s an almost impossible task to fully articulate what it feels like to be told you have cancer,” he said.
‘For me, it’s almost like the world has stopped. Life automatically becomes pre-cancer and post-cancer.
“It feels like you’re sitting still and the immediate space around you is lifeless, while everything beyond tilts on its axis in a whirlwind and the world feels a little blurry around the edges.
‘Of course, it’s okay, but that’s how it feels. You’re stuck on those words: “It’s cancer.”
As she struggled to process the news, Saskia said she couldn’t help but wonder if she was “going to die” and what her future would be like.
After undergoing three major surgeries, including oral reconstruction, which left a hole in her mouth, Saskia was diagnosed with oral cancer.
One of the hardest things during his cancer journey was losing most of his friends.
“I realized that my classmates didn’t understand what I was going through,” he said.
‘My friends and colleagues didn’t know what to say. There was nothing they could say that would make it easier or help get rid of the horrible emotions I was feeling. And so, friendships became difficult.
‘It was weird for not being able to speak, ‘disgusting’ for bleeding in class. Many of my peers only saw my experiences at school and did not take the time to empathize with my situation.
“It was challenging to watch, but even more so when you live it.”
She also struggled with the changes in her body and finding out about the medical procedures was “difficult” for her.
Fortunately, he was able to avoid chemotherapy, but he had to undergo two major reconstructive surgeries, causing him to lose his ability to speak.
“I had no roof in my mouth, there was nothing I could use to make my sounds,” he said.
‘I lost weight because I couldn’t eat or drink without excruciating pain. It was brutal.
‘I think the worst thing was that I felt like I couldn’t communicate with anyone. Even my parents struggled to understand me. I had to sit alone with my thoughts of grief for weeks, which is without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.’
He has since been given the all-clear after undergoing three surgeries, including two major ones.
Eventually, he fell behind in school and thought his dream of studying medicine was “falling apart” within his grasp.
“I was struggling with fatigue, medications, headaches and post-surgical symptoms that attending school was difficult and catching up seemed impossible,” she said.
When Saskia was at her lowest, her mother suggested she join the youth cancer charity Canteen.
“No one understood what I had been through… But at Canteen, I met people who for the first time understood,” he said.
‘I didn’t have to talk about it, but if I wanted to and if I couldn’t find the right words, people listened to me and understood me. It was a genuine connection, and for the first time since the diagnosis, I was normal. I wouldn’t be where I am without Canteen.’
She attended one of Canteen’s weekend retreats in Queensland and is now a youth ambassador.
Saskia spent over a year relearning to speak through speech therapy as her nerves never fully recovered.
As a result, his voice changed and he must constantly focus on his speech pattern due to lack of sensation in his mouth.
The persistent mouth ulcer turned out to be oral cancer.
Things started to look up after he completed his education certificate and achieved a high ATAR.
“I was lucky to have supportive teachers,” he said.
After receiving the go-ahead, he enrolled in a one-year biomedicine degree at the university, which serves as a pathway into medicine.
During her studies, she realized that helping others like her was more important, so she is currently hoping to start breastfeeding in February 2025.
Despite being told he is now cancer-free, he is required to attend follow-up appointments every two years as a precaution.
“As always with cancer survivors, they say to monitor and investigate any abnormalities,” he said.
She urges everyone, including teens, to be aware of what is considered “normal” and “abnormal” about their bodies.
“Always stand up for your rights and control everything that worries you,” Saskia said.
‘Monitor for anything unusual. It is always worth looking at the lumps. Expressing concerns to busy doctors may seem silly or sometimes a little embarrassing, but at the end of the day that is their job and they are there to help you.
“Asking about a concern is always the best course of action, even if it’s just to put your mind at ease.”
‘You are not alone’
She hopes that by sharing her story she can help other cancer patients “feel less alone” and encourage family and friends to show their support.
‘I hope to remind people of the importance of compassion, kindness and love. “It is incredibly difficult to deal with cancer,” he said.
‘Please, if you are struggling to understand what someone is going through… take a moment to imagine how they feel or what they are going through. Talk to them, ask them questions. 30 seconds of consideration can save someone a lifetime of pain.
‘When it comes to cancer, words and inaction can cut deeper than most people can imagine. When you’re sick, you realize all the little things you took for granted, so go for a run, go out and go to that concert.
‘Hug your loved ones a little tighter, love a little harder, express yourself and live.’