Bunbury business owner urges young men to check for testicular cancer after nightmare treatment process

A Bunbury business owner has urged young men to get themselves checked out this Testicular Cancer Awareness month after multiple battles with the deadly disease. When Clint Knop was in this 30s he led a healthy lifestyle with his young family until a persistent pain in the groin turned in to one of the worst pieces of news someone could ever get. Speaking to the South Western Times, Mr Knop said it was just at a general check up when he found out there was a much larger issue at play. “I walked in the door of the GP, and at the very end of the session, he asked if I had any other concerns. I said I had an ache in my groin for a few months,” he said. “I was referred to another specialist who misdiagnosed me with an infection, though after my file landed in the right hands, I was called back and told I had testicular cancer, and I would have to have an operation within days.” Mr Knop returned to hospital days later to have one testicle removed, with the other following a month later, though he was hardly out of the woods. He said he recalls being given a “life sentence” like it was yesterday. “After I had the second one out, they let me go, but it wasn’t long until I got a phone call to visit oncology,” he said. What followed was an elaborate and extensive treatment for testicular and thyroid cancer which “wrecked” Mr Knop, who described chemotherapy as “a treatment which tries to kill the cancer before it kills you”. Throughout the treatment, Mr Knop recalled a serious lack of compassion and psychological support within the Bunbury medical system which nearly got the better of him, but served as a catalyst to pushing other young men into seeking help. “If you have that intuitive little voice saying something isn’t right, go talk to someone about it. Go get it checked out and address the issue.” Mr Knop said men need to put their pride aside and talk about their feelings. “Don’t be afraid to put your feelings on the table,” he said. “The problem with men is most don’t speak like women do. Women confide in their friends, which builds support. “It’s actually really strong for you to stand up and say, ‘hey look, there might be something wrong, or it’s worth me getting a few tests just to make sure I am on the right track.” Mr Knop’s experience is one many younger men go through, with testicular cancer one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers for men under 40. Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand Associate Professor Waranja Ranasinghe said checking yourself is an easy process. “Feel each testicle between your fingers after a warm shower, check for any swelling on the skin and feel the weight of each testicle,” he said. “Make this a regular habit, do it once a month, because if cancer is picked early, it is very treatable.” He said young men should not let embarrassment get in the way of safety. “This is a younger man’s disease with 90 per cent of those affected under 50,” he said. “We want this to be as common, and socially acceptable as a breast examination. “If you have any concerns at all, reach out to your GP.”