‘Below Deck’ Reality Star Tony Drewitt-Barlow Is Focusing On Future Plans With Family Despite Ongoing Throat Cancer Battle

During an episode, fans noticed a scar on Drewitt-Barlow’s face, and began questioning what could have caused it. He eventually addressed the mark, revealing his current battle with cancer after experiencing a recurrence. He initially was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2006, and went into remission after going through treatment. However in 2018 the cancer returned, and it had advanced.

Related: 6 Well-Known Figures Who Battled Throat Cancer, Including Eddie Van Halen, Val Kilmer, and Bob Denver

Since the cancer had advanced, Drewitt-Barlow was told he would only have 18 months to live unless he went through a specific operation. However, the surgery was risky. He was told there was only a 50% chance he would live through the surgery, but decided to go through with it anyway.

"The problems with the treatment were not so known at the time, and it is that treatment that will eventually end my life,” Drewitt-Barlow told The Sun. “The bone in my face has died, I have removed lots of it and replaced it with bone and skin from my leg and other body parts now, but the other internal issues cannot be helped."

The surgery was a success, but that didn’t mean Drewitt-Barlow was in remission. One year after the surgery, he was given yet another grim prognosis and was told he would only have 5 years left to live. Despite the news, he’s refusing to focus on the negative and instead looking towards the future.

"I plan to beat the odds if I can. I get tired easily, and I forget a lot these days, but I have my children, my family, around me as time goes on," Drewitt-Barlow said. "I'm looking to buy a place on Malibu Beach, the place I want to see my last sunset and die with my family around me. It's certainly a long way from Wythenshawe where I grew up in Manchester."

 

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What is Throat Cancer?

Throat cancer is a type of head and neck cancer, where cancerous cells start growing in the throat, voice box, or tonsils. The main causes of the disease include smoking, drinking, a diet without fruits or vegetables and acid reflux disease. Currently, there's no annual screening guidelines for throat cancer unlike other types of cancers such as breast, lung, colon, or prostate. However, there are symptoms of the disease that you can look out for and consult your doctor about if you feel like you’re exhibiting signs of throat cancer. These symptoms can include a persistent cough, changes in your voice, difficulty swallowing, ear pain, a lump or sore in the neck that will not heal, persistent sore throat or unexplained weight loss.

Related: 7 Signs of Throat Cancer That Aren't As Obvious as You'd Think; Knowing What to Look for Is Key

"In the majority of patients, [throat cancer] does not cause symptoms in the throat but instead first presents with an otherwise asymptomatic mass in the neck,” Dr. Ryan Hughes, a radiation oncologist at Wake Forest School of Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet. “While many of these symptoms can be caused by non-cancer diagnoses such as respiratory infections, warning signs include progression of these symptoms over several weeks and a lack of improvement with conservative measures like antibiotics.”

Dr. Ted Teknos breaks down the link between HPV and throat cancer

Focusing On Family

While facing cancer, a support system is a crucial resource to help you cope during treatment. However, many parents may struggle with sharing their diagnosis with their children, or how to make things “normal” for them as the family navigates through a cancer battle. This was the case for Lisa Schaible, who immediately thought about her three kids’ future when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Her main goal while going through treatment, which included chemotherapy, was to create a “new normal” for her children and incorporate them into her journey. One thing Schaible did was construct a paper chain with her children, with each link representing a week of her treatment. At the end of the week, her children would rip one paper chain off.

Related: Amy Mickelson, Wife Of Pro Golfer Phil Mickelson, Battled Breast Cancer 10 Years Ago And Is Making New Memories With Her Family

"I realized that what I really wanted to do was still contribute to our daily lives each day," Lisa previously told SurvivorNet. "So if I could manage getting the kids to preschool, if I could manage taking them on a walk or fixing them lunch or dinner, I felt like I was still engaging with my family. And that was really what kept me motivated every day: I want to spend as much time with my kids and do and keep things as normal as possible."

Ovarian cancer survivor Lisa Schaible explains how she navigated parenthood during cancer battle

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