Laryngectomy Partner Survival Guide
‘Life after Lary’ with Mandi and Andrew
Hi, I’m Mandi.
I’m a partner and carer who found myself navigating a life-changing diagnosis alongside the person I love most. My fiancé Andrew was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2021 and after 10+ surgeries underwent a total laryngectomy in 2022. From that moment on, everything changed.
Like many carers, I stepped into this role without a roadmap. I was learning how to support Andrew while also trying to manage my own emotions and the realities of day-to-day life.
This guide began as notes to myself, scribbled in notebooks, appointment pages, and more post-it notes than I’d like to admit. It was my way of making sense of everything and holding onto some control. Somewhere along the way, I even gave myself the unofficial title of CPO, Chief Positivity Officer, a small but important reminder of how I wanted to show up each day.
Over time, those scattered thoughts became this guide, shaped around two things I found most important: how to care for my partner, and how to cope myself so I could keep showing up.
I created this because I couldn’t find something that spoke directly to partners and carers. My hope is that by sharing it, you feel a little less alone and a little more supported in your own journey.
Mandi 🩷
To read Mandi’s survival guide click here