Tom’s motivation comes from his own personal experience of cancer, having been diagnosed with stage four testicular cancer in 2005. This meant that the cancer had already spread to his lymph glands, liver and lungs.“Being on chemo is not quite as bad as it looks, but the worst part starts after a few sessions and you are not able to be active. You feel so weak and tired, but you do know it isn’t going to last forever so you just have to accept it,” Tom says. “Right from the start of my treatment I had great faith in the doctors and staff at Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals where my treatment took place. The day I was told that the tumour was dead was amazing. I knew then that I could get on with my life again and start getting really fit and active. “I started getting interested in triathlons when I was about 17 and competing seemed a great way for me to bring awareness to my cause. I would love to represent Great Britain in triathlon, but I guess that is a dream rather than an ambition!”
Bustin' Your Balls - Helping others understand testicular cancer
Since his treatment, Tom has made the most of his new lease of life by raising money and awareness about cancer, in particular testicular cancer. His Bustin' Your Balls website shares his story and provides information about symptoms and self-examination. “My symptoms were all due to the secondary cancer elsewhere in my body. This is really important for doctors and patients to realise. I’ve always wanted to help people in some way through my experience with cancer, so I decided to set up my website to inform as many people as possible about testicular cancer and its treatment.”
Share your story
If you have a story that could inspire others and you would like to help us raise awareness about our work, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Share your story with others.
Take the challenge and run for charity
If you have been inspired by this story and would like to raise money for Cancer Research UK, find the right event for you and sign up for a challenge.
