Tony Langford

Husband & Father, Certified Public Accountant, and Survivor of Stage IV Tongue and Tonsil Cancer; Lake in the Hills, IL




Tony and his wife Nicole’s world completely changed one December evening in 2008.

Tony’s cancer diagnosis, tongue and tonsil cancer, was absolutely consuming, and it altered everything about their lives from that point forward. Surprisingly, and they couldn’t understand it at the time, not all that changed would be for the worse.

They learned a greater appreciation for each and every day, and especially for the people in their lives.

“I could not have made it through as well as I did without my wife being with me each and every step of the way through this unwanted journey,” explained Tony. “We were carried along by so many others. We have such a deeper sense of appreciation and love for so many, especially for our parents, our brothers, and their families, along with many friends and our church community.”

He has recovered quite well after surviving an ordeal of treatment. “Day by day, week by week, I began to improve,” explained Tony. “I still have challenges as a result of the treatments, and probably will for the remainder of my days. But every day that I have to endure these reminders, is another day that I get to appreciate still being here, experiencing the joy of being with my family: Nicole, Ashley, David, and Angela.”

Things he took for granted before his diagnosis–watching a sunrise, a sunset, the snow, and just being able to enjoy the simplest things like a glass of water and the taste of food–mean so much more than they used to.

He encourages others to give thanks every day, and not wait for bad news from a doctor or some other life calamity, to truly understand and appreciate all that one has.

To request Tony for your local event, please contact us at info@headandneck.org or complete the online form.