“It was February 2019 when I noticed a pea-sized lump on one of my testicles. My first consultation was, of course, with Dr. Google.
Following up with an actual doctor, I was told that testicular cancer was extremely common and not to worry. Thankfully, I was persistent and advocated for myself until I eventually received an ultrasound. Within three days, I had surgery scheduled to remove the testicle, which did in fact have a cancerous mass.
I was off work for almost ten months after that, recovering physically, but also emotionally. I got in touch with an organization called Imerman Angels, who offer one-on-one cancer counselling. That really helped me out tremendously, to the degree that I signed up as a mentor myself and am now the organization's Canada-wide ambassador.
The other resource that I've found surprisingly valuable has been Reddit, of all places. Men, especially young men, are so reluctant to talk about their health, particularly genital or sexual health. It really helps to have a forum like the Reddit cancer community where people can ask honest questions anonymously without facing judgement.
People ask me if I can still have sex, if I can still make babies, and if I still have normal testosterone levels. The answer to all of these is an unambiguous yes. But the fact that these questions need to be asked highlights the need for better education about testicular cancer, which is the most common cancer among Canadian men aged 15–44. We need to encourage men to educate themselves, to advocate for themselves, and also, critically, to remember to feel their balls.”
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