Gerrard Kaonga
A man has received praise from his wife after speaking about the mental difficulties he faced from being told his penis would need to be amputated due to an aggressive cancer.
British man Craig Mycock had candidly spoken about the ‘hell’ he was put through after doctors told him he had cancer.
While many cancers can be manageable with treatment and an early diagnosis, Mycock’s cancer was considerably rare and aggressive.
Speaking on British TV show, This Morning, back in August 2024, he admitted that he ignored the signs.
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Back in 2018, he had no idea he had cancer and went to the doctor for an unrelated procedure to check on his bladder. It was during this that a nurse spotted an unusual freckle on the end of his penis that concerned her so much she had to call in a doctor for a second opinion.
Speaking of the mark on his penis, Mycock said: “It wasn't itchy or painful, I just thought that it was something that was there, so I'd just ignored it up until then.”
His wife Colette Daniels, who joined him on the show, recalled how the news of having to have his penis amputated had a very detrimental impact on him.
She said: “The mental health side of it was the most difficult for me because seeing Craig go from a man's man and a joker to someone who sat in a chair and didn't speak for days, and never went out.
“If he went out and saw someone he'd run away, that hurt me more to see him shrivel up into a shell of nothing. Craig to me, is the bravest man on this earth.”
Speaking on his own anguish he said that you lose all your confidence, your masculinity, and identity.
However, he has since improved his mental health and is in a much better place. He now wants more men to take their health seriously and check for the signs of cancer.
Dr Nighat Arif also appeared on the show alongside Mycock and his wife and explained how other men can check for signs of penile cancer.
She did note that penile cancer is relatively rare with only effecting 700 men a year, less than one percent of new cancers.
She said: “As a GP, I get patients who have come in after all my treatment with the aftermath and it's the mental toll that it takes because you can feel very very alone.
“[Men should look out for] any skin changes - we say persistent changes - meaning over four weeks, any irritation, any rash. A discharge as well isn't normal or any blood."