Paul Schneider: Finding happiness through adversity

I think it’s a fantastic step forward in developing the care and share culture. NOYT means that people can now identify. Wearing a NOYT branded item, which shows someone who is willing to care and maybe share their stories. A conversation starter, or simply a sign of support. It normalises people’s ups and downs in life into the every day public domain. I related to Chris’s own story and felt drawn to make contact to share mine, to show others that we can overcome hurdles and still live a fulfilling life. 

I feel strong most days, I back myself more than ever. I have learned and discovered a lot about myself in the last few years and I genuinely wake up looking forward to the day ahead now. I felt very different with my diagnosis of thyroid cancer back in 1997 at the age of 21. I had my thyroid removed surgically as well as another benign lump, which turned out to be castlemans disease. This was followed up with Radio-Iodine treatment in a lead lined room in Mount Vernon Hospital. Thankfully I recovered through this diagnosis, however I take thyroxine every day since, as I have no thyroid gland. I also take gabopentine daily. It’s a drug for epilepsy, but it has a secondary benefit of treating nerve pain. The pain could be unbearable at times, so I take amitryptoline at night to help me sleep. 

It’s fair to say I didn’t cope well at the time of my thyroid cancer diagnosis. I have suffered with mental health issues including depression. I felt isolated and for anyone who has experienced this, they will know that it is the darkest place to be. Although I had a large family, I felt alone, with no one to talk to, no one who really understood how I felt, or what I was going through. During this time I married and divorced, worked in business development and for a charity, but never felt the support was truly there with all the symptoms I was experiencing from the medication and my mental health issues. 

I’m now married again to Nicola who I met 5 years ago. I have one child from my previous marriage and Nicola has two children of her own. We like to call ourselves the unit, as we are a tight group, who have had our own ups and downs to deal with. Just before the Covid-19 outbreak I received the devastating news on December 24th 2020, that I had been diagnosed with stage 4 parotid, facial nerve and lymph cancer. I had major surgery to remove my left side parotid gland, my facial nerve, every other gland in the left side of my neck and a procedure to drill out some of my skull bone. This was followed up with 6 weeks of radiotherapy at Mount Vernon hospital which started in March 2021. 

I have been in remission for 2 years now and have a further 8 years until I get the all clear! Remission means different things for different people. For me it simply means ongoing aftercare. I still get facial and nerve pain, trismus, radiation fibrosis, rhinitis and burning throat and mouth syndrome. I learnt a lot from this second cancer diagnosis and tackled the parotid cancer differently. With a significant focus, strategy and support network. 

I shared the news with everyone I knew immediately, I asked experts and medical professionals questions, a lot of questions! I wanted peace of mind, to have all of the information I required to prepare myself, my family and my employer. I wanted to ensure my finances were in order and understand what medication I would need. I realised when I had cancer the first time at 21, that I went into a dark place and through communication and education I was determined to handle this experience better. I was put in touch with the Swallows head and neck cancer charity and they were incredible, they put me in touch with a mentor, someone who I could rely on for support, a conversation, advice, to reassure me when I needed it. I set myself milestones which included,  treatment, recovery, pet scan to give me the all clear and get back to work. Although I had these milestones in place I tried to live in the moment, not look too far ahead, take each step as it came. Eventually I got the all clear and then I thought what next? What’s my next milestone? Living as a survivor you won’t ever go back to the person you were before. 

I have launched my own brand ‘Hear The Raw’. Initially this has been launched on Tik Tok and focuses on inspiring, educating, sharing, caring and more. The plan is to then launch a podcast under the same name. I often do guest speaking and have sessions booked in London and Manchester in the coming months. I have a new club night called Pennies From Heaven and following a hugely successful first event, we have our second on 8th July. I have started producing music with my first track now completed and I have additional plans to add more. I now mentor 4 people myself, as I understand the support I received through my journey. I would thoroughly recommend anyone going through their own cancer battle to consider this. Cancer is not something I would want again, however I have learnt so much about myself and life and I can honestly say that in some way I am grateful for the opportunity it gave me to learn and grow. 

I enjoy connecting with people, supporting them through difficult periods in their life. Talking can have a huge impact on people’s lives and i know the power that sharing and caring has. 

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