A HAMPSHIRE dad who was robbed of his smile by a very rare cancer is making a stand against the disease – and he wants people across the county to join him.

James Parkin was diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland after discovering a painful lump that initially felt like toothache near the bottom of his jaw.

But as surgeons operated to remove the tumour in March last year they found it was wrapped around his nerves which had to be severed, causing him to be paralysed on one side of his face.

The 42-year-old singer and guitarist received 10 weeks of radiotherapy treatment following the operation as well as speech therapy.

Since the completion of his cancer treatment he has undergone major cutting edge surgery – which involved taking a nerve from his thigh and placing it in his jaw – in the hope he will be able to smile again.

Surgeons decided to try and grow the nerves in James’ face again and took fat from his groin, attaching it to the side of his face, to act as a blood supply.

They have told the dad-of-one that it could be three years before they know if their bid to ease the paralysis and help him regain movement in his face has worked. While James waits patiently to see results, he’s refusing to be beaten by the cancer that has changed his life so dramatically.

As well as writing and recording an album of songs that reflect his ordeal since being diagnosed in February 2016, he is also throwing his weight behind Stand Up To Cancer to fund vital research into the disease.

It was in November last year, after finishing and recovering from his cancer treatment, that James chose to go back under the knife at a hospital in Sussex.

James, a Southampton FC fan who grew up in Hythe but now lives near Basingstoke, said: “I was in surgery 14 hours and it hadn’t gone as well as they had planned. I was haemorrhaging so they brought me round and used leeches on my face to suck the blood out and try to reduce the swelling inside my throat. I was in intensive care for a while before they took me back into theatre to operate further.

“I remember looking in the mirror when I woke up and just bursting into tears. I looked like the elephant man with this huge lump of fat stuck on the side of my face. I spent the next three months with a scarf wrapped around my face to try and hide it.”

James, who works in project management for Oracle in Reading, chose to have further surgery which saw a platinum chain placed in his eyelid and a sling inserted just above his cheekbone to help him to close his eye.

Throughout it all he continued to write songs, having vowed he would pen a new track every month to help him cope. Now he’s recorded and released an album called ‘My Cure’, which includes a special song called ‘Lullabye’ written for his daughter Mia, 10.

James said: “I miss being able to smile more than anything else. I went through some very difficult times feeling very low. If I went out I could see people looking at me, wondering what had happened. They could see my face was a mess.

“Songwriting helped me cope; It helped me get my emotions in check, to tell people how I was feeling and it kept me focussed. I am very proud of what I have produced and it has definitely helped me through the very worst time in my life.”

It’s now an anxious wait to see if the operation has worked and if he will be able to smile again.

James said: “There’s not a lot of precedent and I think the odds are stacked against me but it will take three years before I know for sure.

“I would give anything to be able to smile again but ultimately I am just happy to be alive, to be here and to be able to watch my daughter play football on a Sunday morning. You might not be able to see it but I’m smiling on the inside and Mia can do the rest of my smiling for me.

“I want to make a stand against this cruel disease. Research helps saves lives and I want everyone to know it. That’s why I’m giving my heartfelt support to Stand Up To Cancer. It raises money to speed up more effective treatments for people, like me, who really need it.”

Since it was launched in the UK in 2012, Stand Up To Cancer has raised over £38 million to fund over 40 clinical trials and research projects.

Jenny Makin, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Hampshire, said: “We’re really grateful to James for his determination to help others by recruiting people to the cause.

“Day after day, dedicated doctors, nurses and scientists work tirelessly to beat the disease. We’re on the brink of a revolution in cancer research but we can’t afford to stand still. It’s time to rebel against cancer, raise cash and save lives.

“By raising money for game-changing research, Stand Up To Cancer will support this progress and help change the outlook for more people with the disease.”

For more information about Stand Up To Cancer, go to www.standuptocancer.org.uk