This has become more of a news site, and I do try to keep it as updated as time and my nerves allow!

Anyhow an update on me….

I had my two year scan back just before Christmas, I was a bit nervy at the time, possibly more so than usual - then there was a mix up with my appointment - this made it even worse… Anyhow I got through - and now I’ve moved to six month appointments.

Initially I think the move to six monthly appointments will probably panic me even more… But having discussed it with several people now, we agree that if that didn’t happen and the Oncologists just said goodbye at 5 years, I’d probably have an immediate nervous breakdown!!

So all good news on that front, it’s a shame some people have to put a downer on it - I’m considered outside of the major worry zone now, yet we tried to get insurance for me on the mortgage (we’re moving house)…. Over £100 per month for the next 3 years, then it would drop to sub-£20….. Now that really annoys me!!

I’ll be honest about what made me come over here and post today. I’ve got a tonne of cancer related news in my inbox, but some days I just don’t want to open it - some days are still hard, it might sound mad but I don’t think it ever goes away - Lance Armstrong described it as being a Cancer Survivor - and you’ll remain one of those for the rest of your life. It was Lorelle that made me come back here today - to say that you can make it through, you can come out the other side and whilst some days are hard, you live your life a different way.

I’ll try to pop in here more often - Lorelle - thanks for the nudge… I may yet finish the diary, I may yet publish it, or I may just save it for those close to me.

For example, using radiotherapy machines at weekends and evenings when they are under-utilised.

We don’t actually need more expensive equipment, just to use them better and pay the staff to use them!

Following in the footsteps of Rachel Stevens (see below), Gemma Atkinson is fronting the new campaign for “Give Your Balls a SQUEEZE”, launched by Rileys Pool and Snooker Clubs and the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign, they urge men to follow Gemma’s example from their “interesting” photoshoot and give your balls a good squeeze!

Check out the Gemma Atkinson photo’s

Rachel Steven’s fronted the charity several years ago, with this fantastic video:

Jack was playing with a plastic bow and arrow set with his brother and sister when he was hit in the testicles and was in a lot of pain.

After a series of tests and scans he was invited back to the hospital, he had not been in any pain but the lump was changing.

Doctors made the decision to remove Jack’s testicle and the tumour, two weeks later they went back to the hosptial to find out exactly what the tumour was: a soft tissue cancer called para testicular rhabdomyosarcoma

Months of chemotherapy were prescribed for Jack, but (like so many of us) he developed an infection and had to stay in hospital for three weeks, during which he lost a lot of weight and his hair.

Little Star awards are given to children who are currently battling cancer or have undergone treatment for the disease in the past five years by Cancer Research UK.

Each child receives a trophy and has a certificate signed by celebrities, including Dr Who star David Tennant and Kylie Minogue.

He’s playing for three seasons of lost time! Boitano found a lump on his left testicle just before the 2006 season, his preseason physical led to an ultrasound revealing the growth. There was a 95 percent chance it was cancer, Boitano said:

“When I went to see the cancer specialist and he started talking about chemotherapy and radiation, that’s when things got crazy,” “And then he told me how it could spread quickly if I didn’t get it taken care of. That’s when I knew it was serious.”

Doctors wanted to operate immediately and remove the growth and his left testicle. They were honest with him letting him know that he would have to grow up really quickly and deal with this. They also told him the positives, that he would still be able to have children and other things that were worrying him. Two weeks later, the growth was revealed to be benign, but if left to grow could have become cancerous. Boitano said:

“It put a lot of things into perspective,” “The whole thing made me the person I am now. It ended up being kind of a blessing because I know now that I can get through anything, even that.”

8 weeks later he was back in football pads attempting to find form:

“My first set of gassers (exercises), I thought my lungs were going to catch fire. But no one was letting me slack,”

He called a team meeting and explained his abscence - the team rallied around him. Showing their support as teammates who share a locker room can do. Nicknames like “Uniballer” were heard between lockers. Scott Boitano said:

“Joe is exceptionally open about of all this, and one of the ways that he’s been able to deal with it is by making fun at his own expense a little bit,” “That doesn’t work for everyone, but it works for him.”

Joe has just finished his first full season of games, now that’s an achievement!

But what lies beyond that for the 36-year-old cyclist and cancer survivor? Political professionals believe he has taken enough steps in the last year, that few people would find it difficult to imagine an Armstrong candidacy.

Mr. Armstrong declined to be interviewed about what, if any, political ambitions he has.

Mr al-Kurdi only had one alternative, and that was to seek medical treatment in Israel, only to find he was blocked from entering Israel for treatment on security grounds.

More info here

“Watch out! Cancer is closer than you think. Testicular cancer is the most preventable form of cancer in young men.”

A great poster campaign from The Fight Cancer Foundation.

In a recent talk Kelly shared her story of raising her son as a single mother, overcoming life’s obstacles to achieve personal success and the grief and hardship of staying by her son’s side during his battle with testicular cancer.

“It was such a helpless feeling knowing that I could not fight this battle for him,” Kelly said of the experience of watching her only son undergo months of treatment and then surgery to remove tumors from his brain.

Surviving is as hard as the chemo sometimes, I assure you - and for the people around you as well.

Moseley Rugby team showed up and told all for the recent TV show about embarrassing illnesses - to prove you can talk about it!