'I thought I had a blocked tear duct - then I lost most of my face'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A man who thought he had a blocked tear duct was given a devastating diagnosis - before losing an eye and having most of his face repaired with skin and muscle from his thigh.

Graeme Heward, from Lymm in Cheshire, suffered with eye issues and sinus pressure for eight months before he was given horrific news by medics.

The 62-year-old was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive sinonasal cancer in 2010. 'The alien', as Graeme dubbed it, caused significant damage to his face. “For months I thought my watery eye was a blocked tear duct because I wasn't unwell at the time," he said. "When it was discovered, doctors thought it was benign, but suddenly it became a fight to live." Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features Graeme has undergone 29 surgeries and had radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

He lost his right eye. Skin and muscle was grafted from his thigh to cover most of his face. "I did have a weird appearance, it was quite profound," he added. "How I managed with that, I don't know.