Tanja Bage

On 16 March 2020, at the age of 38 years old, Tanja was diagnosed with a rare and locally advanced type of cancer beneath her vocal cords.  One week later she had radical and life changing surgery, which altered the way that she now speaks, sounds, swallows and breathes. Tanja’s surgery (a total laryngectomy) meant the surgical removal of her voice box.  Having trained as a professional actor and singer, losing her natural voice has been, and continues to be, one of the single hardest things she's ever had to go through. The emotional impact is long lasting and far more complex and challenging to accept than the physical side of having a laryngectomy. Yet, despite it all, she lives a full, happy and joyful life and has gone on to do some incredible things and meet people in the laryngectomy community.