Smoker who lost half his TONGUE and all his teeth to mouth cancer STILL puffs on five fags a day
James Upfield, 46, was diagnosed with stage four mouth and throat cancer and "died" twice during treatment - once in surgery when his lungs collapsed
A SMOKER who lost half his tongue and all his teeth to cancer has admitted he still puffs his way through five ciggies a day.
James Upfield was diagnosed with stage four mouth and throat cancer, and "died" twice during surgery - once when his lungs collapsed.
Yet, the 46-year-old claims he can't stub out his deadly habit.
He can no longer produce saliva, and is forced to liquidise his food.
The former Royal Pioneer Corps soldier also developed motor neurone disease – a rare condition that progressively damages part of the nervous system – following radiotherapy.
His face has been misshapen by surgery to cut out his tumour, he has lost all his teeth due to radiation and he has trouble speaking.
But James, who has been smoking since he was 13 and used to puff his way through between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day, claims to be too addicted to ditch his habit.
Although he has tried everything from nicotine patches to going cold turkey many times, he has never managed to completely stop smoking.
Diagnosed with combined mouth and throat cancer, in 2013, he said: “I wish I’d never started.
"I want to encourage people not to start.
James said: “I’m barmy and that barminess has helped me.
“Three years ago I was 6.5 stone, but I have worked to get my fitness back and I'm 12 stone again.”
Now James is determined not to give in and to keep challenging himself.
He said: “I can either carry on with my life and be an active person, or I can just sit and slump at home – I have chosen to keep going and challenge myself.
“I know that I am a timebomb in a sense, that anything could happen, but I stay positive.
"There's more to life than feeling sorry for myself and having all these things happen to me in such a short space of time has made me a better person.
"For the first time in my life I actually take the time to listen to other people.
“I’ve had so much support from Scope over the last few years. I wouldn’t be here without them and everything they have done for me.”
James will be cheered on at The London Marathon by around 30 soldiers from his former regiment.
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