Pete Waltham works for Agrovista as an agronomist. In October 2024 Pete was diagnosed with a head and neck cancer in his tonsils at the age of 42, after noticing a small lump in his neck. As part of FCN’s #NipItInTheBud campaign with Macmillan Cancer Support, Pete has shared his story, and urges readers to act quickly should they notice a change in their health.
Hi Pete, can you tell us about yourself and your diagnosis?
I work for Agrovista on the Somerset Levels, advising on a mix of arable, forage and basket willow crops. I have a Master’s in Molecular Medical Microbiology – this understanding of pathology I believe helped with my diagnosis, as I understood that something wasn’t quite right with me. In June 2024 I got home one day from a maize walk. After a busy day I sat down for a drink. I randomly remember feeling my neck and noticed a lump. I booked an appointment with a doctor the next day, to be on the safe side.
The first doctor I spoke to thought it was nothing to worry about – I recall them saying ‘there is no chance it’s cancer’. I guess at this point some people might accept it isn’t serious, ignore it and hope it’ll go away by itself. But I didn’t let it go. I felt very strongly that something was wrong, so I put my foot down.
Eventually after several attempts I saw an excellent paramedic, who referred me for an ultrasound. This revealed a swollen lymph node. 10 days later I saw a doctor and had a biopsy, followed by a PET-CT scan and an MRI. Once I was ‘in the system’ things moved very quickly.
I honestly suspected I had cancer, but had to wait for the results to find out the full extent of things. The tests discovered I had a localised tumour on my tonsils. I felt immense relief that it had not spread further.
What sort of treatment did you undertake?
At first I had a tonsillectomy to remove the tumour. This was followed by 6 weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The radiotherapy was 5 days a week and the chemo was once a week. It was very grueling and time-consuming. When you’re in the thick of it, you have no time to think. I estimate I will have had over 78 appointments. At first I almost had imposter syndrome, thinking I wasn’t actually that ill, and that I could continue working. But after a few weeks it really hit me how sick I was. The treatment really does take it out of you.
Once the treatment finished and the number of appointments became less frequent, that’s when the mental health impact of what I had been through hit me. I needed counselling and received support from Macmillan Cancer Support as well as support from resources at my local hospital. It has been very beneficial, helping me to understand and process what I have been through.
What was it like telling your family?
My wife was with me for many of the appointments and drove me to a number of them. Her support has been amazing. Telling our two young children was just awful. I had to explain it to them in a way that they could understand. We found some useful books – for example one called Cancer Party, which helps to explain cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to children. This has led to some darkly amusing situations, for example when my daughter told a relative that ‘daddy is having a cancer party’. My family have helped me get through it all.
What other support have you accessed?
I joined a support group called HANSOM (head and neck cancer patients and carers) through my local hospital in Taunton. It has been very helpful as you can talk to people who have been through a similar experience and who understand what you are going through. I also accessed Macmillan’s counselling support.
Throughout I have had fantastic support from my employer. I can honestly say that Agrovista could not have been better. They have put resources in place to support me and have arranged for colleagues to cover my work while I have been ill.
I have also seen incredible support from my clients – a huge weight was lifted after I emailed them and let them know about my situation, and the responses that I received back were very supportive.
If you have any final messages to share with readers?
If you notice something or even just have a small suspicion something has changed, go to the doctor immediately. Do not wait. You may need to push back and put your foot down. Don’t give up if you feel like you aren’t making progress.
If you work within the agricultural community and find yourself faced with a diagnosis like mine then it is imperative that you seek to organize cover for your work and take the full time required to go to all treatment and consultant appoints, and also take the time required to fully recover (it can be considerably more than you might think).