A businessman had to have his penis amputated after developing a rare form of cancer.
Shaun Evans, who was diagnosed with penile cancer, said he felt like ‘a freak’ after the operation but is now learning to live without the organ and wants to share his story to raise awareness of the disease.
The 55-year-old, from Wolverhampton, initially dismissed what felt like a ‘bad bruise’ on his penis in June 2022, but became ‘alarmed’ the following month when he noticed blood coming from it and what looked like a cold-sore at the end.
He spoke to his cardiologist who was treating him for a heart attack he’d had earlier that year, and was then referred to a specialist, reports MailOnline.
Shaun’s doctor suspected it was penile cancer, but a biopsy was needed to confirm the diagnosis.
However, as Shaun was on blood thinning medication following his heart attack, the biopsy had to wait several months.
During this time, his symptoms worsened and he was left in excruciating pain so bad that in October 2022 he called an ambulance and was taken to hospital.
It turned out he had a penile abscess and would need an operation to drain it.
However, due to his blood thinners he had to wait another month before this could happen. In the meantime he was given antibiotics.
The abscess and the biopsy were performed at the same time, in November 2022.
It was on December 15, 2022 doctors told him the devastating news he definitely had penile cancer and that they would probably need to amputate his penis.
‘I kind of knew myself. I thought how the hell is this going to return to normal. I was obviously gutted,’ he said.
Later that month, two days before Christmas, Shaun underwent a five-hour amputation at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.
On Christmas day a consultant came to see him and explained that she had had no choice but to remove it.
‘She said: “I had to remove it. I think I have got it all. I managed to retain what goes on beneath the surface”‘.
Shaun said that the period after the surgery was the loneliest he’d ever felt.
‘It was just numbness. It can seriously effect masculinity,’ he explained.
‘I went through all the emotions. I thought “I’m a freak”, “no one is going to want you”.
But then he told himself ‘this is the new Shaun’ and that ‘people are going to accept you as you are’.
Among the changes Shaun has had to make since the operation is sitting while he urinates.
Surgeons rearranged the position of his urethra so he’s still able pee but he now goes to the toilet ‘like a lady’ he explained.
The former police support worker, who has a scan very month to check he’s cancer free, said he’s taking things ‘day-by-day’ and appreciates the little things like being able to sit down pain-free.
He hopes by talking about his experience other men will be able to spot symptoms as early as possible.
Penile cancer is rare in the UK, with around 760 new cases each year, according to Cancer Research UK.
But experts predict cases will rise to 1,100 per year by 2038-2040.
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