'Living my best life, singing without a voice box'

A woman from Canterbury who had her voice box removed due to throat cancer has sung at the Royal Opera House and Royal Albert Hall after teaching herself to talk again.

Hazel Buckley was diagnosed with throat cancer twice, first 19 years ago at the age of 47.

In 2017 she underwent a laryngectomy, and now speaks through a stoma in her neck.

She performs with the Shout at Cancer Choir, which is for people who've had similar operations.

The 66-year-old said her grandchildren helped her to learn to speak again.

"I'd get them to come with me and sit and listen and try and repeat back to me what I'm trying to say," she said.

She said she had experienced "bad days", but retained a positive attitude - mainly due to her singing.

"Put the bad days behind you," she said.

"It's a new day. Just do your best, and I live the best life I can."

Buckley was diagnosed with cancer first in 2008 and again in 2017, when she had the operation.

Doctors used part of her leg to form an oesophagus after removing a tumour which touched her voice box.

The Shout at Cancer Choir is for people from across the country who've had their voice boxes removed due to cancer.

She said being part of the choir "lifts your spirits so much".

She adds: "Okay, it's never going to be as loud as everyone else, but it doesn't matter.

"We're doing our best, so we really enjoy it and get a lot from it."

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