Walk for Awareness: Steps to Beat Testicular Cancer

My son Aaron was diagnosed with testicular cancer in February, just weeks after his 18th birthday. Up until November, Aaron was a fit and healthy young man who went to the gym regularly and was studying for his leaving cert. This experience has shown us all that cancer doesn’t care who you are - what age you are, how healthy you are, it comes out of nowhere and hits you like a train.

Aaron has had six visits to A&E, five admissions, three big surgeries and a very nasty infection.. The toll it has taken on him is huge but he has remained so strong through it all.

Testicular cancer affects around 170 men in Ireland each year and is one of the most treatable cancers when it’s detected early. This journey has made me realise that there isn’t enough awareness around testicular cancer, especially when it affects young men. We all have men in our lives—our sons, nephews, uncles, brothers, cousins, colleagues, husbands, and dads—who deserve the chance to stay informed and conduct regular self-checks,

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month—a fact I learned only after Aaron’s diagnosis. My husband and I have decided to challenge ourselves by walking 100,000 steps in a single day to raise awareness and funds for testicular cancer research. Our planned route will take us from Bray to Portmarnock along Dublin’s beautiful coast, and then back into the city centre.—and this challenge is our way to help ensure that more people learn about the importance of early detection. Thank you for supporting Aaron, and for sharing this message with the people you love.