Get familiar with your balls this Non League Day

The below is from the official Colne FC website.

Get familiar with your balls

Early last month I was diagnosed with testicular cancer! Now I want everyone to know what I have been through to raise awareness.

Believe me, in this last month I have cried and watched everyone of my family cry in-front of me. The reason I’m telling you this is because of how it all came about!

I wasn’t ill, I had no pains and believe me I play with my balls a lot and I didn’t think there was anything different.

My wife told me about a article she had read about some guy who had a vasectomy and it had somehow not worked so she wanted me to go get it checked. Whilst I most definitely argued there was no doubt it hadn’t worked, the wife was insistent she didn’t want to take the risk and booked the appointment as she said there was no way she was having any more morning sickness after 4 children.

I reluctantly agreed to go to keep her happy.

I had my routine checkup and immediately the Dr. sent me for an emergency appointment at hospital. That was the day my whole outlook in life changed. The big ‘C’ Bomb was dropped and my life changed from that moment on. To be told I had cancer was the last thing on my mind as I dropped my pants behind the screen that morning.

Cancer?? I could not believe what I was hearing. I am a young fit and healthy 30 year old with my whole life ahead of me and now I had Cancer!

It all moved so fast from that day onward. A blur. Within a week of hearing the words I was having my testicle removed. The procedure went well and I was on my way home. Still in the back of my mind I was always thinking, I have Cancer. I cannot explain the feeling and how difficult I found accepting it.

The next hurdle I had to overcome was the results of my CT scan and blood results, it really was just a waiting game. With the results back I didn’t know how I felt! Then the results. I felt like the luckiest man alive to be told the cancer hadn’t spread, they had got it early enough and the whole tumour was removed during the operation. I’m now on observation for the next 5 years and yet I feel LUCKY.

This is just one story where a young father, family man had the best possible outcome. Some are not so lucky and I want to share my story to spread that awareness.

Get familiar with your balls!!

If you have the slightest doubt get checked. Imagine if I had just left it because I thought I knew best.

I now look forward to getting back on track and if all you do is check yourself once you have read this, I’ve done my job!

Nick McNally