Steven 'Stumpy' Hamill has opened up about his penile cancer nightmare after being told it 'couldn't be cancer'.
Seven years on from his initial diagnosis, which resulted in four inches of his member being amputated, Hamill is now a proud father.
But that hasn't stopped him from spreading awareness regarding his horrific health condition.
During an appearance on This Morning today (21 April), he told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about the first time he noticed something was wrong.
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Hamill revealed that upon going for the first morning wee, he realised that his penis was 'very swollen'.
He said: "As a 26-year-old man, it was very, um... Hmm, what's this? So I did what every guy would probably do, ignore it, hope it goes away itself, and then we'll see what happens. And then we had the bleed."
The bleed was an almighty bleed at that. Shortly after leaving the toilet, Hamill was making a cup of tea downstairs when he 'felt something wet'.
All over the kitchen cupboards, the floor, and his feet was scarlet. He shouted his partner, who immediately came running downstairs.
Hamill continued: "That's when I thought, 'Do you know what? I need to go and get this checked'. In my head, I didn't even know penile cancer existed at this point, so I was, like, very... don't know what's going on, but something isn't right. So that was the big wake-up call for me to be like, 'Do you know what? I'll go and see a doctor now."
According to Cancer Research UK, the disease makes up less than one percent of all new cancer cases in the country, with around 770 new diagnoses each year.
Things didn't run the smoothest from there for Hamill, though, with the medical professional deemed it to be balanitis to begin with, sending the patient home with steroid cream.
The NHS states that balanitis is 'when the head of the penis is swollen and sore', and while 'it's not usually serious', it's 'important to see a GP to find out what's causing it'.
"I put steroid cream on it for two weeks solidly and there was no change," Hamill said.
"I went back to the doctors two weeks later and he said it was definitely balanitis. But by this point I was in so much pain. It felt like someone was poking a needle into the end of my penis. The only way I could get a little bit of pain-free time was in the bathroom or I'd be rocking on the floor.
"After this, the smell started."
Describing the smell 'as death', he explained that it 'followed' him around and 'it was awful and other people could smell it'.
Hamill, who was given the nickname 'Stumpy' by his mates, added: "I had every sign and symptom of penile cancer and the doctor agreed but he said it 'couldn't be cancer' as I was only 26."
They were wrong.
It wasn't until he woke up in a pool of blood in his brother's car that doctors took him seriously.
Hamill was then transferred to a specialist unit at Manchester's Christie NHS Foundation Trust, undergoing a circumcision before four inches of his penis was removed.
And just three years later, Hamill incredibly became a father for the first time.
What are the symptoms of penile cancer?
According to the NHS, most cases of the disease 'affect the skin covering the penis (foreskin), or the head or tip (glans) of the penis'.
The most common symptoms of penile cancer include:
- A growth, lump or sore that does not heal within four weeks
- A rash
- Bleeding
- Smelly discharge
- Having difficulty pulling back your foreskin
- Unexplained skin color changes
Meanwhile, other symptoms can include:
- Lump in the groin
- Tiredness
- Pain in the tummy
- Losing weight without trying
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Health, Cancer, This Morning
Dan Seddon