Twins Ryan and Sean Collard from Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne & Wear were both diagnosed with testicular cancer within weeks of one another. They have both survived the shocking disease – and set up a men’s health Instagram page called ‘Cancer Lads’ to raise awareness and support other young men.
Ryan, now a primary school teacher in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of stage three testicular cancer at 23. Months later, as he was recovering, brother Sean was diagnosed with a less aggressive form of the disease.
Both have gone on to recover well and feel passionate about encouraging men to check themselves out and take cancer seriously. This comes as analysis from the charity Macmillan Cancer Support shows almost half of men in their 30s “wait for health problems to simply go away”.
Now 31, Ryan said: “Although diagnosed in my early twenties I can now fully understand why people, especially men my age would prioritise careers and busy lives over their health. In your 30s, often, your career is reaching a peak. Men in particular can get bogged down in their own pride and expectation of outdated perceptions of the man as the main bread winner. It’s only with the benefit of hindsight that I can step away, as someone with a cancer experience giving me the right perspective. As a 23-year-old I was initially not taken seriously when discussing some of my symptoms. I worried it may be prostate cancer and when I aired this, I was dismissed by the GP, she said ‘you’re far too young for cancer’, and laughed. She probably thought she was making me feel better, but I still remember the intense embarrassment. It took several visits and for my symptoms of back pain and numbness down the right side of my body, which then quickly accelerated to increased pain and being rendered unconscious, before I was eventually diagnosed with Choriocarcinoma [a type of testicular cancer].”
After his treatment and while recovering, twin Sean was also diagnosed with cancer. After his own surgery and chemotherapy, Sean also recovered and has two children of his own.
For Ryan, who is married to Sophie and has a small son following fertility treatment, supporting others through their social media page is vital. He said: “It was only when I met other men who had a similar lived experience I felt really able to talk freely and feel properly understood. That is why I started an Instagram account. Talking to like-minded people released a lot of emotions and I wanted others to have that opportunity.”
Data shared by Macmillan highlights how almost half (48%) of men in their 30s say they wait for health problems to go away – that’s twice as many compared with those aged 60 or over.
This story first appeared in the Chronicle Live https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/health/hetton-twins-both-diagnosed-testicular-31828739