Barber Firat Davutoglu and Owen Norgrove – SWNSAn eagle-eyed barber saved a teenager’s life by spotting a lump that turned out to be a rare cancer.
A Turkish stylist name Firat Davutoglu spied it the 17-year-old’s neck after he’d come in for a trim of his back and sides.
He advised him to “get it checked out”—and the next week Owen went to his doctor who referred him to a specialist.
Following a series of tests, Owen was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system—and he immediately started aggressive chemotherapy following the diagnosis in January.
Owen Norgrove, from Shropshire, England, is now in remission and hoping to be given the all clear next June.
“Owen had just gone for his normal haircut and Firat noticed the tiny lump on his neck,” his mother Hayley told SWNS news agency. “When Owen came home he told us what Firat had advised and we immediately got him an appointment with his GP.
“Once we saw it, it did start to grow; by the time he was diagnosed it was a sizable lump in his neck.
“Firat really helped Owen have the cancer diagnosed much quicker so he could start treatment sooner. He underwent five months of chemotherapy at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and is being supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust.
“He had his last chemo on May 1. Then in early June he was in remission.
“You just don’t expect cancer at that age, it was a shock for everyone. But everyone rallied around and we had a strong support network. With his age and resilience, his body fought back.
This week Owen was reunited with Firat for the first time since he took the barber’s life-saving advice.
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Teen Boy Owen Norgrove getting chemo VERTICLE – via SWNSRecalling the day he had his trim, Owen said: “I came to the barber as I do every few weeks. Suddenly Firat stopped and said to me ‘do you realize you’ve got a lump on your neck? You might want to get that checked by a doctor.’
“I’m really grateful that the barber noticed the lump,” he said recently.
Firat, who runs New Styles hair salon, said: “I’m just giving him a haircut and I saw that his neck, the right side of it, is swelling. I just asked what is it?
“He said he didn’t know and I got the mirror and he said he hadn’t seen it before. I told him, ‘Mate, you should go see the doctor’.
“He came with his dad (five months later) and I didn’t remember him because he had chemotherapy and had no hair. His dad told me the story and I feel emotional.
“He’s alright now and that’s what’s important now.“I hope he’s going to have a long life, healthy, and he’s never going to see the hospital and doctors again.” Diligent Barber May Have Saved Boy’s Life After Spotting Cancerous Lump on His Neck
