The Life of Ryan
Cancer survivor Ryan Walshe wants others to help him raise awareness & save lives with early detection & better care. Frank le Duc reports
Watching TV saved Ryan Walshe’s life. He was 20 years old and working as a pastry chef: “I cooked with Gordon Ramsey,” he said. But two years ago, everything changed. Ryan added: “I was watching Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies. It was about testicular cancer. That night I checked myself. I don’t know to this day what made me check myself. But I found a lump.”
The next day he went to the doctor’s. A week later an ultrasound scan confirmed his worst fears. And two days after that he had his right testicle removed at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. Then came a gruelling course of chemotherapy. With little or no immune system, he came close to losing his life three times.
Ryan, 23, said that before his treatment he took a trip to a sperm bank in Hammersmith with his girlfriend, Jade. He said: “When you’re sitting there in the waiting room it feels like everyone’s staring at you because they know why you’re there. I wasn’t allowed to store sperm while I was having treatment but now they might dispose of my sperm because I’m fertile again. I don’t think the rules are right. What if I have a relapse?”
He tells his story openly, honestly and with humour. He is also incredibly thankful and has set about showing it in a number of practical ways. Ryan, who lives off the Seven Dials in Brighton, said: “I nearly died two years ago because I wasn’t aware of cancer symptoms and I made a promise to myself that if I lived I’d do everything I could to help other men and boys become aware of all the different cancers they can get.”
Since then he has set up a charity called Talking Testicles and spoken to more than 3,000 teenagers during visits to schools. One pupil, at Blatchington Mill, said that Ryan’s talk led him to have a potentially life-saving check-up. Ryan looks the picture of health, which surprised another pupil. “One girl said to me that she thought cancer patients would look like Voldemort in Harry Potter,” he said, adding: “I’m like a dead man walking!”
He also stripped for Embarrassing Bodies recently to show young men how to check themselves. Women seemed much more aware of the need to check their breasts, he said, and much more comfortable with the idea. He went on the show again – it was his third appearance – because he is so grateful to presenter Dr Christian Jessen. “I owe my life to Dr Christian,” he said.
He is also grateful for the support of Glen Poole, from the Men’s Network, which aims to improve the lives of men and boys in Brighton and Hove. Glen set up Bounce Your Balls for Cancer. The pair are now starting the Beat Male Cancer campaign with the help of funding from People Can, a charity which grew out of the Scarman Trust.
They want to hear from cancer survivors or people who have had personal experience of dealing with cancer. They are looking for potential helpers and supporters as they try to raise awareness, encourage earlier detection and improve patient care. As a result, they hope to improve survival rates as men tend to have more advanced cancers by the time they see a doctor.
The first steps involve Ryan hosting three public meetings. One was due to be held on Saturday, another takes place this evening (Tuesday) at the Brighton Media Centre in Middle Street, from 6pm to 8pm. And the third will be at Hove Town Hall from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday 18 July. Ryan said: “I’m very lucky to be sitting here today.” Now he wants others to help him share his good fortune.
