Michael's Story

Right around their first wedding anniversary, Michael's wife mentioned that she had just read an article detailing how young men should check themselves for lumps in their groin areas. Two weeks later, Michael discovered a lump. His first step was a consultation with an urologist who confirmed that the mass was suspicions. This was followed by surgery which determined that the lump was cancerous. The surgery was the easy part - determining the next course of action to see if the cancer had spread was a more difficult process.

One doctor recommended routine blood work which would be certain to cause anxiety while awaiting results. Another doctor suggested chemotherapy and radiation but Michael was concerned about their effects on his fertility. Michael finally decided to have a lymph node dissection which entailed being opened up the entire length of his torso to remove lymph nodes and luckily, none of the lymph nodes were cancerous.

Michael now has a huge scar to show for his ordeal which is a small price to pay for knowing that he is cancer-free and has been for more than twenty years. Michael played lacrosse for Port Washington High School and Ithaca College. He is currently a boys' rec lacrosse teem coach in Chatham, NJ.