Matthew’s fight against aggressive penile cancer

Hi, my name is Jeremy and some of you may already know the struggle my father Matthew has been going through with aggressive penile cancer that had spread to the skin and all lymph nodes in his groin.

It all started with a routine trip to the GP, dad had been feeling a little niggle and the GP started treating for a urine tract infection. There was no improvement with the treatment which brought on a couple more tests, all tests came back clear except for

a questionable spot on the old fella. A trip to the Urologist came back with a positive test for penile cancer.

Unfortunately, there was no option for treatment, therefore a painful and mentally scaring surgery to remove the penis was the only option. Upon further tests closer to the first surgery several lymph nodes showed signs of cancer which then led to the Cancer

riddled lymph nodes to be surgically removed which lead to permanent pain and open wounds for over 8 months.

Upon a follow up with the urologist late February for concerns with the wound and struggles to urinate it was found that the cancer has returned to the skin and tissue in the groin and remaining lymph nodes, unfortunately dads original urologist has helped

us as much as he can and has referred us to a new specialist. After having many more scan's completed dad was able to go to Port Macquarie to meet his new doctor and work out the game plan to remove new cancers and have a lot of corrective surgery completed

which will hopefully allow dad to be able to sit down again.

The recovery from this is nothing short of intensive daily trips to the hospital to have dressings changed, and wounds cleaned daily. This has left my dad permanently disabled with a very poor quality of life until everything can be corrected.

Dad had always been larger than life to his family. He was the kind of man who could make anyone laugh with a well-timed joke or inspire a room with his boundless enthusiasm. Growing up, my dad was my hero, I idolised him

—not because he was perfect, but because of his unrelenting determination to chase his dreams. The once strong man who could fix a motor in the dead of winter now struggles with pain, infections, and the emotional weight of his condition.

Dad has fallen into despair. He is now beginning to question will his life every be normal again.

And just only today Matthew returned home from another expensive and painful trip at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Hospital. Matthew went under for an intense 10 hour surgery where his Urologist and plastic surgeon removed a mass of cancer the size of a tennis ball and remaining lymph nodes carrying cancer. The plastic surgeon then worked his magic trying to repair the extremely damaged perineum. Matthew is now on a rollercoaster ride of daily hospital visit for dressing changes and checkups.

Matthew is definitely not out of the woods yet with another two corrective surgeries yet to go. There will be months if not years of rehabilitation, checkups and mental evaluations.

Any help, little or large would be greatly appreciated to help accomplish Dads dream which will create an outlet to spread cancer awareness.