On my testicular cancer and men’s health awareness website, A Ballsy Sense of Tumor, I write all about my personal cancer journey and men’s health in general. Today, I’m giving you bite-sized summaries of what appeared on the blog in August and September.
August’s Band of Ballers feature highlighted testicular cancer survivor Joseph Marino. After experiencing testicular pain at the age of 17, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent surgery, chemo, and various scans. Nowadays, this law enforcement officer founded a group called OnlyTakes1 to provide brotherhood for fellow patients and survivors.
After the Cleveland Clinic shared 2020’s MENtion It campaign results, I chatted with Dr. Bajic, a urologist in the Center for Men’s Health, part of the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute at Cleveland Clinic, on what it revealed about men’s health during COVID19. Some of the key findings include:
- 77% of men report their stress level has increased as a result of COVID-19
- 59% have felt isolated during the pandemic
- 45% say their emotional/mental health has worsened during the pandemic
- 59% feel COVID-19 has had a greater negative impact on their mental health than the 2008 recession
- 48% have put off seeing a doctor for non-COVID-19 related health issues over the last few months
- 40% say they are struggling to stay healthy
- 24% report weight gain
Learn more about the MENtion It survey here.
At 29, Jay Elwell found a bump on his testicle. He was eventually diagnosed with testicular cancer, and had surgery to remove the affected testicle. Just when he thought he was in the clear, it was determined that he needed chemotherapy. Now a survivor, he recently wrote a book called Rotten Fruit: My Testicular Cancer Adventure in the aftermath of his testicular cancer experience to process and pay it forward.
That wraps up August/September’s recap of A Ballsy Sense of Tumor. Until next time, Carpe Scrotiem.
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com