Sponsored by Stand Up To Cancer
‘The campaign really fits with what I went through and how I feel about cancer’
A Liverpudlian who overcame testicular cancer has spoken of how he fought off the terrible illness. David Sing, 32, was diagnosed in 2012. The diagnosis came following a doctor’s visit after he had noticed symptoms upon his return home from holiday.
David said: “I went on holiday to Bulgaria, and when I returned I felt like a pebble in my testicles. It led from there, my nipple areas were weirdly hard, which was from the hormone system shutting down.”
The diagnosis took some time to really sink in, David says.
“I was only 25 at the time and cancer wasn’t something I thought was going to affect me. I was sent for a scan and was then diagnosed but I didn’t really take it all in at first.”
Only when his first chemotherapy session came around did David come to terms with what had happened
“The moment I went in for my first chemo session, I saw a frail lady who’d lost her hair – that’s when reality hit. And I burst into tears.”
The whole situation just seemed surreal, David says, but friends and family proved invaluable.
“Friends and family are massively important, you couldn’t just battle through it on your own. You need someone else.”
David’s friends organised a charity football match, and he got involved himself.
“My friends started organising a charity football match too – I remember by the time the match came my hair was beginning to fall out quite badly and as I was running with the ball it was literally falling off behind me.
“Everyone was so supportive and it really helped as the treatment continued. My girlfriend Chloe has helped organise charity nights including raffles over the last three years.”
This support network motivated David to get involved with Stand Up To Cancer.
David says: “The whole slogan for me epitomises my thoughts on it. If you don’t stand up to cancer, it’s only gonna make things worse.
Recovery took a while, but David’s current health is firmly back on track.
“I was given a course of chemotherapy called BEP, which I had in three cycles over nine weeks. I am working a 45-hour week now as a manager of a sports store, and my current health is good.
“My fitness levels are not near where they used to be, but I’m just going on how I feel. I feel great.”
David had the tumours removed and underwent his nine week course of chemotherapy at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. He says he wouldn’t have overcome the condition, were it not for the role of fundraising.
https://youtu.be/NUIFjv-DVjk
“When my doctor told me I was going to lose all my hair after having chemotherapy, I decided to dye my hair bright orange in the Stand Up To Cancer colours.
“I wanted to raise money but also wanted to make things a little more light hearted through such a hard time and luckily it worked for both of those.”
David says having cancer really changed his approach to life.
“I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for research and fundraising.
“That’s why I want to encourage as many people as possible to unite and join Stand Up To Cancer and help raise as much money as possible.”
David is supporting Stand Up To Cancer, to fund life-saving research and help beat cancer at its own game. Get involved here.
