Copyright manchestereveningnews
A woman who is recovering from life-changing cancer surgery has spoken about the urgent need for greater support for those living with swallowing difficulties, after a restaurant experience left her feeling "marginalised and humiliated." Michelle Cummins, from Netherton, received a head and neck cancer diagnosis in August. The following month, she had major surgery to remove a section of her lower jaw on the right-hand side of her face - an operation which has resulted in severe swallowing problems, medically known as dysphagia. She is currently undergoing a six-week course of radiotherapy. Towards the end of October, Michelle and her mum called into Farina, a Liverpool city centre restaurant, following a shopping trip for a Macmillan Cancer Support event. She said she informed staff about her medical situation and requested that her meal be blended, but alleged the restaurant "refused" to accommodate her needs. Farina stated that its staff were sympathetic towards Michelle's circumstances but maintained they were unable to blend her meal as they 'did not have a blender on site' and instead offered her soft pasta as an alternative. Michelle challenges their account of what happened, reports the Liverpool Echo . The 53-year-old told the ECHO: "I told the waitress about my condition and asked if they could blend my food for me. The waitress did a bit of back and forth with the manager but they refused and told me they wouldn't be able to blend my meal. The manager didn't come over once. I told the waitress I was going to put it on Facebook because I was disgusted. "I was gobsmacked by their response. I'd already ordered soup but I wanted a main meal. Why should I, or anyone with this health condition, be restricted to soup when they go out for food?". "I felt really upset and humiliated. I've got a physical change in my appearance and I suffer from body dysmorphia. To go to a restaurant and have to ask them to blend my food like a toddler is a big thing for me. And then to eat blended food in a public place, that takes a lot too." Before receiving her diagnosis, Michelle says she adored going out and enjoying meals with loved ones. Following her operation, she has been forced to blend her food at home to ensure it's safe to consume. She said: "Prior to the operation I was a very social person, I'd go out to eat a lot. The operation has changed how I live. Now, I have to cook normal meals and blend them so I'm still eating proper food. I thought, why can't a restaurant do that? Why can't I go out and eat normally by asking the chef to blend my food?". The restaurant incident has spurred her on to champion awareness of dysphagia - a condition affecting people living with cancer, dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and other medical conditions - and the importance of restaurants accommodating it alongside allergies and special dietary needs. Michelle has expressed her desire for the hospitality industry to adopt a more inclusive approach towards individuals with her condition. She stated: "It's set me off on a bit of a mission. How many restaurants in Liverpool have that attitude? Part of socialising and getting people well enough to eat with this condition is people having access to nutrition. "My disability is quite obvious because I have a facial change, but it's not as visible for others. "Restaurants ask about allergies or dietary requirements - why can't swallowing difficulties be included too? It takes a minute to blend food. It could make such a difference to people's lives." After reaching out to several other eateries across Liverpool, Michelle said she has received positive feedback, with numerous establishments confirming they would be willing to blend meals if informed beforehand. A representative for Farina commented: "Michelle was a walk-in guest and explained her medical condition once she'd arrived, asking if we could blend her pasta dish for her to consume. "Given the circumstances and sensitivity around Michelle's treatment, the team was upset that we weren't able to accommodate her request and explained that there wasn't a blender on site to facilitate this, but did offer an alternative of soup so that she'd be able to dine with us. "Michelle chose not to have the soup and decided to order one of our pasta dishes and our chefs ensured that it was cooked as soft as possible so that she'd be able to swallow her meal. We were glad that she decided to stay at the restaurant and proceeded to order a dish of her choice. "Accessibility is incredibly important to the whole team and we work with all of our guests on their dietary requirements and any additional needs wherever possible. When tables are pre-booked, it allows us to do everything we can to accommodate requests ahead of our guest's arrival. "On this occasion, as there wasn't a blender on site, we genuinely couldn't accommodate the request and an alternative was offered. We then continued to work with Michelle to ensure the dish she ordered was as soft as possible for her to consume." When Farina's statement was presented to Michelle by the ECHO, she responded: "I wasn't given any other option. I was told the chefs couldn't do it. There was no mention of not having a blender. They didn't bring me soft pasta at all. They didn't do anything at all. I sat there while my mum ate her spaghetti Bolognese."
