Andrew's battle with testicular cancer

Thirty-three-old Andrew Phan’s appreciation for everyday moments took a sharp turn in October 2021 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  

As a specialist working in the medical field in WA, the irony that he, of all people, brushed it aside and ignored his symptoms for as long as he did is not lost on him.  

Andrew first noticed a pea-sized lump in his testicle but decided to tell no one, not even his fiancée, despite his medical background, the lump’s alarming growth and suspecting what it might be.   

Instead, he brushed his growing concerns aside to focus on his career as a radiographer in a major Perth hospital and his impending wedding. 

As the lump grew from the size of a pea to a grape and then a tennis ball, Andrew finally made the decision to confide in his best friend, a nurse, who pushed Andrew to see his GP. 

“As the weeks passed, I became less intimate and more irritable with my friends, family and colleagues. The symptoms worsened and grew and were becoming more painful and impossible to ignore”. 

Unfortunately, Andrew’s worst fears were confirmed – and he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. 

“Embarking on chemotherapy was undeniably one of the most challenging experiences of my life and tested my endurance and resilience like never before.”

Now on the road to recovery and with a renewed focus on his mental and physical health, Andrew is more determined than ever to make sure everyone benefits from continued investment in medical research and patient care.  

A lover of the outdoors, of camping and barbecues with mates, Andrew says he is more conscious than ever of celebrating the ‘everyday’.  

To help bring more everyday moments to men like Andrew, support men’s health and cancer research through a donation today.