THEY are the inspirational stories of survival that bring hope to people whose lives have been changed by head and neck cancers.

Nothing could prepare former model June Inskip for the devastating news her ‘beauty spot’ was in fact face cancer.

Medics saved her life by removing nearly half her face which left her so devastated, she was unable to leave her house for eight months.

Sue Hanham endured an intrusive 10 hour operation to remove a huge tumour on her tongue.

Surgeons had to use tissue from Sue's arm to rebuild a third of her tongue as well as parts of her face.

The 73-year-old fought to relearn the basic skills most take for granted, like talking and swallowing.

However, both June and Sue have battled back with the help of support from the charity About Face and now they are volunteers helping others through the toughest fight of their lives.

The charity was established in early 2000 by consultant surgeon consultant surgeon Velupillai Ilankovan and Mavis Dale and they bought a property opposite Poole Hospital in 2008 and transformed it into a support centre following a Daily Echo backed fundraising appeal.

Otherwise known as ‘the house of hope’, the unique centre provides support to anyone who has been affected by head and neck cancers as well as visiting trainee head and neck surgeons.

June said it was 14 years ago a friend urged her to see a doctor about the mole on her face.

The 88-year-old, who was a hair model, explained: “I always had the mole and in fact when I used to make up, I’d blacken it a little more to accentuate it.

“It turned out to be a big growth on the right side of my face. They warned me I could lose my eye when they removed half of my face.

“I didn’t go out for eight months because it was so horrific.

“They did a lot of reconstructive surgery, and with good make-up, I faced the world again.”

June, who had previously battled bowel cancer, said she had no family but relied on a close network of friends to support her.

“It was a big shock. The thing is when it is your face, you can't hide it. It’s the fear of people staring and looking at you.

“I heard about this place and I was one of the first people through the door. The amazing thing about it here is you can just say whatever is on your mind. Nobody judges you because we’ve been through it. People don’t know who to talk to because sometimes friends and family just don’t know what to say."

June, who recently had to return to hospital for further surgery because the cancer is still there, said: “I have no feeling at all and I have no taste but you get used to it. I am lucky I’m still here after all these years.

“I am proud of my scars now.”

Sue said she had tried various treatments before undergoing an operation to remove the tumour on the side of her tongue in 2000.

“It was absolutely terrifying. You just don’t know at the time, whether you will live or die.

“To get to the tongue, they had to lift up my face so I have all the scars.

“You cannot talk, some people find it impossible to swallow. You’re fed by a peg. I think it was about two years before I got over the shock and the mental side of it.”

Sue, who today volunteers for the charity with husband Nick, owes her recovery to About Face’s founder Mavis Dale who she met in Poole.

“She was wonderful and I shall be eternally grateful to her. She said to me ‘this is one of the greatest challenges of your life, but you can get over it.’ People were just marvellous.

“Here, people are relieved to meet someone who has been through it. Sometimes they come through the door terrified but they leave smiling and they come back again and again.

“Every cancer is different. Sometimes it can affect the jaw, sometimes people can have their teeth out.

“The hardest thing about head and neck cancer is presenting a fairly normal face to the world, hoping people aren’t concentrating on your scars.

“Some people can be totally disfigured from surgery.

“We want people to know we are here – and that support is available before or after surgery.”

The charity receives no funding and relies on donations.

For more information or to support the charity, go to about-face.info or call 01202 677340.