Testicular cancer survivor: 'People bury their heads in the sand when it comes to health and so did I'

Established in 2003 and launched in Ireland in 2008, the Movember campaign has seen thousands of men growing moustaches in order to raise both funds and awareness for male cancers.
David McGlynn knows only too well the dangers of ignoring the symptoms of cancer as in 1994, he refused to acknowledge a swelling in his testes until pain forced him to admit the abnormality and seek help from his doctor.
"When I was 31, I noticed a growth in my right testicle but because it didn't cause me any discomfort, I ignored it at first," he says. "I could see the shape had changed but I left it alone for a good few months until it became very painful and I knew that I had to get something done about it.
"So I went to my GP and after taking one look, he sent me straight to A&E as he said it needed attention immediately."
David, who works in the legal profession, was admitted on the spot and operated on the following morning.
"When I got to the hospital, I was sent for an ultrasound and then the doctor told me he was 99pc certain that I had a cancerous growth, but he wouldn't know for sure until he removed it," he says. "I was quite shocked to say the least as finding out I had cancer and had to have a testicle removed was the last thing I expected.
"After this devastating news, I was kept in and the next day had surgery to remove the testicle which was indeed cancerous and very advanced. This was also very traumatic particularly as my older brother had recently died from colon cancer."


  

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