Taming your new voice to better tell your story, Émilie Carré’s fight against vocal cord cancer

At just 22 years old, Émilie Carré learned that she had cancer of the left vocal cord. Four years after a partial laryngectomy, she testifies and gives a voice to patients through her podcast “Cou de tête”, dedicated to people suffering from head and neck cancers.

September 2019. Émilie Carré, then a health engineering student, begins to feel discomfort in her voice.

It started with a broken voice. It lasted a few days, then it stopped. It came back intermittently.

Emilie Carré

cured of cancer

Despite several consultations, no doctor is worried. But after two months of persistent symptoms, an ENT decided to conduct further examinations.

In January 2020, a laryngoscopy revealed cancer of the left vocal cord. “I was stunned, I didn’t expect it, even if deep down, I dreaded it a little.” Diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, Émilie is immediately plunged into an obstacle course where everything comes together very quickly.

On February 14, a first cordectomy was performed to remove the affected part of the vocal cord. “I was relieved that the cancer would be removed, even though I already knew my voice would be different“However, during the post-operative analysis, doctors discover that the cancer cells have migrated into the cartilage of the larynx. A new intervention is necessary: ​​a partial laryngectomy to remove half of the larynx, in the midst of the COVID pandemic -19.

The operation, on March 12, 2020, lasted more than four hours. “I stayed in the hospital for more than twenty days, without speaking or eating.“Rehabilitation begins shortly after with Alice, a speech therapist who will play a key role in rebuilding her voice.”Alice did a huge job, she supported me for six months. We stayed in touch and even became friends.“

Thanks to diligent practice, Émilie learns to speak differently, with other muscles than those usually used. “That raspy sound you hear is a sound made by the remaining muscles in my throat. My voice is the result of a lot of work, but I have not yet completely accepted it.“

If Émilie knows the world of oncology well having worked in clinical research, she then discovered a type of cancer that is largely under-represented and stigmatized.

In France, we talk very little about ENT cancers, even though they affect more than 15,000 people per year.

Emilie Carré

cured of cancer

“The symptoms seem trivial: a broken voice, ear pain… Often, they are ignored, which delays diagnosis.“

To break the isolation she feels, Émilie turns to Corasso, a support association for patients with ENT cancer. “That’s where I met people going through the same thing as me. It allowed me to come out of the silence and testify.“Quickly, Émilie got involved as a volunteer, then joined the association’s office.

He then came up with the idea of ​​the “Cou de tête” podcast. “I had this desire to testify, but also to give voice to other patients with atypical stories.“Built around the voice, this format allows you to free yourself from the image, often altered by illness.”It was essential for me to create a space where patients could confide without being confronted about their appearance.“

The first episode is particularly strong: Émilie interviews Charlotte, a 28-year-old young woman suffering from the same cancer. “When she contacted me on Instagram, I felt a mixture of sadness and relief. She was experiencing what I had experienced. We are the same age and have a similar history.“

Throughout the episodes, Émilie and her guests address the intimate and social upheavals of the disease.

We are thrown into the deep end with lifelong consequences. It’s complicated to get back to life before. No one is prepared for this.

Emilie Carré

formerly affected by vocal cord cancer

Four years after her operation, Émilie continues to tame her voice. “When I talk to someone new, I hear my difference. I’ve made a lot of progress: in 2020, I didn’t want to leave my room or talk to my parents. Today, I make podcasts. But I still have trouble listening to myself.“

Through her journey, Émilie wishes to raise awareness among the public, but also among health professionals, about these little-known cancers. “There is one ENT per 30,000 inhabitants in France. This is problematic. Many cancers could be detected earlier.“She also reminds us of the importance of taking any persistent symptoms seriously:”If you have had a broken voice for more than three weeks, seek medical advice. It can save lives.“

My voice is no longer the one I had, but it is still there. I want us to hear all the voices that still dare to speak after these trials

Emilie Carré

formerly affected by vocal cord cancer

To listen to the “Cou de Tête” podcast click here.

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