You don’t have to be an oncologist to know that fighting cancer is tough. For Stewart, facing an opponent he could never be sure was truly defeated brought both physical and mental challenges when he was diagnosed with HPV-related tonsil cancer in 2016.
Stewart became an Alliance Ambassador for one simple reason: I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did. I was fortunate my cancer was caught early, and while my prognosis is good, my doctors have offered no guarantees.
In a way, Stewart has been fighting cancer most of his adult life—not as a patient, but as a scientist. After earning a Ph.D. in cancer research, he dedicated much of his career to developing innovative cancer drugs designed to activate the immune system.
Take it from me: cancer prevention is always better than cancer treatment, he says. As I’ve gone from cancer researcher to cancer patient to cancer survivor, I’ve vowed to do everything I can to keep others from joining my club.
One of his strongest messages: parents should talk to their pediatricians about vaccinating both boys and girls against HPV—it could save lives.
Stewart is the founder of HPVCancerResources.org, an online hub for HPV cancer patients, parents, and healthcare providers, and he serves on the Washington State HPV Task Force.
To request Stewart’s for your local event, please contact us at info@headandneck.org or complete the online form.
