Balls: Where having one is better than none!!
From family jewels to gonads, jiggly bits to nuts, the topic of testicles is not always a comfortable one.
Founded in 2008, the Oneball Charity is a Calgary based, volunteer run, testicular cancer charity that strives on raising awareness. “We’ve funded life changing research, are helping patients pay the over $6,000 of expenses not covered by our healthcare and provide critical information in relatable ways, like talking to a friend,” says founder, President and testicular cancer survivor, Christopher Lloyd.
According to the most recent US statistics, 1 in 250 males will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in their lifetime. While this number may be alarming, if caught in the early stages, the survival rate is about 99% for men that show no signs of the cancer having spread. So, what we’re saying is: GO GET YOUR BALLS CHECKED!
You can also check your balls yourself – that’s right, a few minutes of self-care could let you know what your body is telling you. The best time is right after you get out of the shower when the sac is relaxed. Using both hands, roll each ball between your fingers checking for any lumps or swelling. Please consult a physician if you notice any irregularities.
Cancer is a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body, in this case, testicles. The most common type of testicular cancer are germ cell tumors, which are tumors arising from any biological cell that can develop into sperm or egg. Some rare types include non-germ cell tumors and cancers that start in another part of the body first and spread to the testicle.
Let’s chat about how it spreads. Remember going to house parties when you were in high school? It started off as a small get together, close friends and a few others, then before you know it, the party has taken over the entire house, has spilled out into the yard and there’s more people than you know what to do with! Without keeping the party in check, it has become a bigger issue. Well, testicular cancer is very similar to a house party. It is one of the most curable cancers if caught early – no cops needed!
There are 4 stages to testicular cancer:
- Choriocarcinoma. A non-seminomatous germ cell tumor and is the rarest of all testicular cancers
- Spread locally. Cancer cells have spread to different organs located close to the testicles (party has spread to the kitchen
- Spread to regional lymph nodes (the party is all over the house)
- Spread to distant organs, such as the distant lymph nodes, lungs, bones etc (the party has spread to the neighborhood)
Self-examination is the first step in preventing the spread of testicular cancer to the rest of the body, just like everything else. Want to know more, or simply start the conversation? Check out oneball.ca for more
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