In the back of my mind, I suspected I had cancer. Close to a year passed, and I did nothing about it. Fear and denial kept me from admitting to myself something was wrong.

Ultimately, I required surgery and chemotherapy and recovered fully.

In hindsight, I was extremely fortunate. I should have taken action immediately.

In the shower one day, I noticed that my left testicle didn’t feel the same as my right one anymore. It was becoming hard to the touch instead of soft and grape-like. For months, the change from soft to hard continued but it was so gradual I convinced myself it was nothing to worry about. Every once in a while, the words “testicular cancer” would pop into my brain but I would quickly push them out again. Eventually, I forgot about my concerns almost completely.

Then, one night after a hot shower, I felt an actual lump. My reaction was disbelief but I also knew I had a serious problem. Still, I didn’t go to see my doctor because I was on the verge of leaving for a week-long trip. I promised myself I’d make an appointment when I got back home.

A week after my medical exam, I got confirmation – I was told I had testicular cancer and was already booked for surgery that night. My testicle was removed, which was difficult to accept. But, my overwhelming emotion was relief.

Subsequent testing revealed my cancer was of the rare choriocarcinoma variety and my oncologist advised me that if I didn’t undergo chemotherapy treatment, I had a 50/50 chance of cancer returning somewhere else in my body. If I did have chemotherapy, he said I could be 99 per cent certain of avoiding future problems.

So, my decision was an easy one to make and I spent the rest of that summer in treatment. The chemotherapy drugs made me terribly sick but, with the support of family and friends, I got through the ordeal. I have been cancer-free ever since – more than 16 years now – and am the proud father of two kids.

My advice? Check yourself regularly when you are in the shower or bathtub and pay attention to any changes in your testicles. With early detection and intervention, testicular cancer has a high cure rate. Don’t leave your future to luck, like I did.

Jason Peters