As many of you know I have been undergoing some personal health issues that have sidelined me. I want to make everyone aware of it, not so that you know what my situation is, but so that maybe I can make you aware of an often ignored or undetected situation. I know this is a entertainment/music/nightlife blog, but I feel it is my duty to use all my available resources to raise awareness to this situation, mostly because it affects the age demographic that reads this blog. I don’t mean to be a buzz kill, but one off topic blog out of the hundreds on this site won’t kill you, hopefully it might actually save a life.
This has been a very personal issue to me, but I have decided not to be shy about it. Not because it isn’t incredibly emotional or personal to me, but because this is bigger than my feelings. I had something happen to me this month that often goes undetected, or ignored, out of embarrassment or worry. I wasn’t sure how to deal with the situation that I was presented. I told my friends and business associates, and then made a few mentions about my condition over facebook, but I now feel it is time to be completely candid.
I am talking about my personal battle with testicular cancer. During 2009 there will be 8,980 young men diagnosed and over 360 young men will die because they didn’t find it in time. I am one of the survivors. That is more deaths than women in this age group who will die of breast cancer. But don’t let those statistics frighten you, testicular cancer is one of the easiest cancers to cure if it is detected in time. There is a stigma and embarrassment connected with young men becoming more aware of their testicles. I am very fortunate that I noticed swelling in one of mine, and acted on it immediately. Symptoms are not the same for everyone, I had swelling, but that is not always the case. That is why a monthly exam is essential.
There is a very simple, painless, quick exam that you can give yourself once a month that could save your life. You can find the very simple instructions right here:
http://www.tc-cancer.com/about/self-exam.html
Think you might forget to do this on a monthly basis? You can sign up to receive a reminder the first of every month to do a self-exam. Sign up by sending a blank email to: menstuff-testicular-exam-subscribe@topica.com It’s free! Waiting and hoping will not fix anything, if you notice an abnormality, see a doctor as soon as possible, because when this is caught early you have a 95%-100% cure rate awaiting you.
Now please enjoy what may be the best PSA I have ever seen.
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