NEED TO KNOW
Ryan Shinkle first noticed something was off with his tongue more than 20 years ago, at just 25 years old
At the time, a small white patch had appeared on the left side of his tongue. A biopsy later confirmed it was precancerous leukoplakia
Years later, Shinkle was diagnosed with tongue cancer. Now, 41, he’s opening up on TikTok about his journey
Ryan Shinkle’s entire life revolves around speech.
He built a successful career in sales and rose into leadership roles, currently serving as the head of sales for The Baldwin Group, a publicly traded insurance brokerage firm — where clear, confident communication is everything. So when doctors recently told the father of two that he might lose his ability to speak, the news was devastating.
The Tampa, Fla., native first noticed something was off more than 20 years ago, at just 25. A small white patch had appeared on the left side of his tongue. A biopsy later confirmed it was precancerous leukoplakia. After relocating to Houston for work, Ryan — encouraged by his mother — began regular checkups at MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the country’s leading cancer institutions.
As life moved forward, Ryan met his now-wife, Ashley, and in 2014, they learned they were expecting their first child. But that year also brought heartbreaking news.
“I’d been monitoring the leukoplakia closely, and that time, a biopsy came back positive for cancer cells,” Ryan, now 41, tells PEOPLE exclusively over Zoom.
He underwent his first partial glossectomy, a surgery to remove part of his tongue. For a time, things were stable. But in 2019, shortly after their second child was born, the cancer returned. Ryan endured a second partial glossectomy, hopeful it would be the final chapter in his cancer journey.
Then, in January 2025, Ryan began feeling a familiar pain in his tongue. Ashley encouraged him to return to MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he had remained a patient even after moving back to Florida.
Soon after, he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of this cancer include persistent sores, pain, difficulty swallowing or chewing and changes in speech. Tobacco is the single largest risk factor for tongue cancer.
The tumor was classified as T-1 and located on the left side of his tongue. Surgery followed by radiation was the standard treatment plan.
“The team suggested I was a good candidate for an immunotherapy treatment that had shown success in shrinking other types of tumors and was in trial status for squamous cell carcinoma,” Ryan explains.
Courtesy of Ryan Shinkle
Ryan Shinkle with his wife
The trial involved a six-week course of two immunotherapy drugs administered via IV. At first, the tumor appeared stable, maybe even slightly smaller. But during the second half of the trial, Ryan noticed rapid growth.
“I noticed the tumor explode… it doubled in size,” he says. “I alerted the team, but surgery was already scheduled, so there wasn’t much to do in the two weeks until then.”
By the time he and Ashley returned to Houston for pre-op scans, the tumor’s growth had accelerated significantly.
His surgeon warned that Ryan might now require a total glossectomy, the complete removal of his tongue. The procedure could mean he might never speak again and could need a feeding tube for the rest of his life.
“I had a meltdown. In six weeks, we went from a small tumor in an ideal position to the likely loss of my entire tongue,” the dad of two, ages 10 and 6, says. “The concept of not being able to talk to my children shook me to my core.”
“His whole personality is built around how he talks,” Ashley continues. “He’s funny, witty and quick… your typical sales guy. So the thought of maybe not speaking again or being on a feeding tube was shocking.”
Courtesy of Ryan Shinkle
Ryan Shinkle in the hospital
Leading up to surgery, Ashley, knowing how much Ryan loved public speaking and MC’ing at company events, also suggested something unexpected: Why not document the journey?
Inspired by his wife, Ryan decided to create his own TikTok account, @dadgotyourtongue, and post his first video:
“Preparing to have my tongue cut out and reconstructed with my forearm as if that’s totally normal for a 41-year-old who’s never touched tobacco,” he wrote, filming himself walking into the hospital.
Shortly after that post, Ryan underwent a complex 12-hour operation in Houston, where approximately two-thirds of his tongue was removed and reconstructed using a flap from his thigh.
The procedure also included a complete neck dissection. The first half of the surgery involved removing the tumor and ensuring clear margins; the second half, performed by the plastic surgery team, focused on rebuilding what had been lost.
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Courtesy of Ryan Shinkle
Ryan Shinkle after surgery
At first, recovery appeared to be going well. Nurses monitored the blood flow to the new flap every hour using a Doppler machine, which functions much like an ultrasound. But about 36 hours after the operation, something went wrong.
The flap had failed due to a blood clot. Ryan was rushed into emergency surgery, where doctors reconstructed his tongue again, this time using tissue from his left forearm. The original thigh flap was salvaged and used as a skin graft.
“It was like a scene from ER,” he says. “I was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the lights went by, trying not to panic. I couldn’t talk, but I managed to write ‘I love you’ to my wife on a whiteboard.”
Courtesy of Ryan Shinkle
Ryan Shinkle writes on whiteboard
But Ryan’s recovery wasn’t without complications. Just seven days after surgery — and shortly after passing a swallow test and being discharged — he developed kidney stones and had to be readmitted to the hospital. Once stabilized, he turned his focus back to healing.
As he regained strength, he began the slow, often frustrating process of relearning how to eat. Each small step forward felt like a victory. From mashed potatoes and pudding to scrambled eggs and soft pasta, every bite was progress. He also began simple tongue exercises to help retrain the muscles that remained functional.
“I still have the base of the tongue and kind of the side,” Ryan adds. “So this just has to compensate for everything over here that doesn’t do anything. After surgery, obviously, there’s tremendous swelling and as the swelling went down, my speech got better.”
Ksenija Stosic Photography |@ksenijastosicphotography
Ryan Shinkle and his family
Then came a breakthrough — the first word Ryan was able to speak.
It was a few days after surgery. Although the tracheostomy was still in place, doctors had fitted him with a small “vocal cap,” which redirected airflow to help him attempt speech. In that moment, Ryan turned to Ashley and said her name.
“After a few days of preparing herself to never hear me talk again, I was able to say ‘Ashley,’ and she broke down in tears,” he says. “I then said, ‘I love you. Thank you for taking care of me.’ Days later, I told her, ‘I’m going to win, I’m going to get my speech back.’ “
But as Ryan continued to make progress, another challenge emerged: radiation.
The treatment brought a new wave of difficulties — extreme fatigue, painful sores in his mouth, and a return to nutrient-packed smoothies just to maintain weight.
Even as Ryan’s physical voice faced new tests, his digital voice continued to grow stronger.
He kept posting regularly on TikTok — sharing recovery tips, answering questions, and speaking candidly about both setbacks and victories. Through social media, he not only processed his own experience but helped others navigate theirs.
“It’s been helpful for me to know other people are fighting the same battle. It’s less lonely, and I’m hopeful I’ve provided some measure of the same sort of comfort.”
That sense of connection — both online and at home — has shaped how Ryan sees the road ahead. As he looks to the future, he’s thinking not just about recovery, but how to turn this experience into something greater.
He’s begun work on a book focused on overcoming adversity and achieving goals, and he hopes to build a platform that empowers others to improve their health or transform their lives in meaningful ways.
Fortunately, Ryan’s latest scans show no signs of cancer. It hadn’t spread, and now he’ll simply return for checkups every five years — a milestone that brings deep relief and renewed focus.
“I’m more resilient than I ever thought I was,” Ryan says. “In a way, more mentally tough and more mentally weak than I knew, and in finding peace with that. I’ve learned that I can survive anything and that surviving is worth it.”
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