Basingstoke to Biarritz

[Mochamoo]

A friend asked me If I could get the word out not just for sponsorship but to inform men to be aware.....


http://www.mountaingoatwanderers.org.uk/aboutus.html



I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in May 2007. I had noticed a minor swelling in my left testicle after a rugby match and assumed that I had damaged it during the game. Stupidly, I left it a fortnight before I went to the hospital to have it checked out. By this time it had become considerably more swollen and was causing some minor discomfort. I was examined and sent for an ultrasound scan. The ultrasound results were not good, and within four days I was booked in for day surgery. The resulting operation (an orchidectomy) removed my left testicle. The now removed tumour was found to be a mixed teratoma and seminoma. These types of tumour are the most common types of testicular tumour and are very responsive to chemotherapy.

To cut a long story short, I had a CT scan and was then referred to a consultant oncologist at the ‘St Luke’s Cancer Centre’ at the ‘Royal Surrey Hospital’ in Guildford. The cancer had spread to my lungs and I had lots of small tumours, the largest being 2cm which was in my left lung. This was not the news I wanted to hear, a whole bunch of scenarios went through my head, from bad to just plain awful. The consultant assured me that he could sort it out and that I should make a full recovery. He prescribed a three cycle course of BEP chemotherapy. BEP chemotherapy is an intensive short course of chemotherapy using three drugs, Bleomycin, Etopocide and Cisplatin. A single cycle involved three days in hospital where I was constantly hooked up to a drip, followed by two further single day sessions. I had to do this three times, which was not very pleasant. Luckily I didn’t have all of the side-effects and wasn’t sick too many times. I was an absolute nightmare during this time because I was really tired all the time and just could not do all the things I would normally do. When the three cycles were over I had to have another CT scan and then wait.

Waiting for scan and the results was probably the worst part of the whole experience. When eventually my consultant had the results and I had to see him all I could do was think the worst. Luckily for me they were as good as they could have been. I now have to go for a scan in January 2008 and I have to be kept under relatively close medical supervision for a while. The outlook is really good and hopefully the cancer will not come back.

I could not have gone on with the treatment and come through the other side without the constant support of my wife Angela who has been amazing throughout this whole thing. The constant smiling face and innocence of my daughter Eloise really helped to keep my spirits high particularly when I was really low. My sister, who has been a fountain of information and has helped things happen quicker at times, my mum, Angela’s parents, Jonathan and Louisa and my friends. Last, but by no means least, all of the wonderful staff at both the Royal Surrey Hospital and the North Hampshire Hospital who cared for me during my illness




For further information:
Mountain Goat Wanderers Foundation

Around 2000 men a year are diagnosed with testicular cancer in the UK. It is not known exactly what the causes are, but research is going on all the time to attempt to establish them.

Testicular cancer is more common in men who have a testicle that has failed to descend. In the unborn child the testicles develop inside the abdomen between the kidneys and descend into the scrotum at birth or during the first year of life. If this does not happen, the risk of a man developing testicular cancer is increased.

Testicular cancer is more common in white men than African-Caribbean or Asian men. It occurs more commonly in wealthier social groups. The reasons for this are not known.

It is not clear whether injury to the testicle can cause a testicular cancer. Vasectomy does not increase the risk of a man developing testicular cancer.
There are two main types of testicular cancer – seminomas and teratomas. They may be called germ cell tumours. Occasionally testicular tumours can be a mix of both types.
Other rare types of testicular tumour are Leydig and Sertoli cell tumours
Worried about your nuts? - Check out our ‘How’s Your Tackle’ page for a guide to examining your testicles