Testicular Cancer Summit Guest Speaker - Mike Craycraft
I am excited to have the opportunity to be a guest speaker at the Testicular Cancer Summit but more importantly, for the opportunity to meet so many other survivors and caregivers face to face and learn of your experiences. Whether we are a survivor, caregiver or healthcare professional we have each traveled a unique path to where we are today. I look forward to being able to share ways that we can continue to move forward and get back to living life. After our experiences, life may never be the same as it was before we were affected, but I hope that we can all find ways to embrace the “new normal.” I look forward to seeing you all in Denver.
I am excited to have the opportunity to be a guest speaker at the Testicular Cancer Summit but more importantly, for the opportunity to meet so many other survivors and caregivers face to face and learn of your experiences. Whether we are a survivor, caregiver or healthcare professional we have each traveled a unique path to where we are today. I look forward to being able to share ways that we can continue to move forward and get back to living life. After our experiences, life may never be the same as it was before we were affected, but I hope that we can all find ways to embrace the “new normal.” I look forward to seeing you all in Denver.
Bio
Mike was diagnosed in 2006 and is the founder of the Testicular Cancer Society, which also oversees the TC-Cancer.com Forums. Besides being a survivor he is also a clinical pharmacist by trade. He is a Mentor Angel with Imerman Angels, a 4th Angel Mentor with The Scott Hamilton CARES Initiative at the Cleveland Clinic and a survivor mentor for myCancerConnection at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a Research and Community Outreach Fellow for the Men's Health Initiative, serves as the Testicular Cancer Community Leader at MedHelp and volunteers for Love Hope Strength. As a Huffington Post Blogger he contributes on issues relating to adolescent and young adult oncology.
Mike Craycraft
Testicular Cancer Society
Cincinnati, Ohio
Testicular Cancer Summit Guest Speaker - Torsten Koehler
Fantesticle news - Guest speaker at the Testicular Cancer Summit! Being a cancer survivor we all of have story to tell. I like to focus on something “different”. I’m looking forward to share the challenges of a testicular cancer mission in South Africa where besides cancer and its horrible side-effects people have to deal with: no or limited access to clinics and doctors, language barriers, witchcraft, cultural taboos, stigma, rejection, lack of funds, lack of medication and lack of knowledge to name but a few.
Fantesticle news!
Guest speaker at the Testicular Cancer Summit! Being a cancer survivor we all of have story to tell. I like to focus on something “different”. I’m looking forward to share the challenges of a testicular cancer mission in South Africa where besides cancer and its horrible side-effects people have to deal with: no or limited access to clinics and doctors, language barriers, witchcraft, cultural taboos, stigma, rejection, lack of funds, lack of medication and lack of knowledge to name but a few. As the summit is not a one-way street I’m looking forward to hear, learn and get inspired by fellow survivors. It will be fantesticle!
Bio
The founder of Love Your Nuts campaign was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1995 whilst educating young teenagers about ‘sex education’ at a school and being in his early thirties himself. His journey of survival started by openly confronting in his book his thoughts and emotions, relate the reactions of his friends, family and not least, his students, who provoked him without reserve and in doing so, gave him enormous help and hope. His book “Love your nuts” was published internationally in 2011 in English (German version was published in Germany in 2004 already). "He has won, he lives and he loves. He is showing everybody how valuable they are and how fantastic life can be" (a reader's words) and therefore has a passion for this campaign.
Born in 1965 and grew up in Namibia. He studied teaching and was a teacher for 15 years in Namibia. This 15-year span was interrupted three times and in the years 1991, 1997/8 and 2006 he toured through 45 countries on all the continents. He has been a Cape Town resident since 2007. Followed his passions – photography and design – until the end of 2016 after leaving the teaching profession in 2005.
Since 2017 he is working full time for his foundation with the best job description ever: talking balls and saving lives.
Greetings from sunny Cape Town
Torsten
Love Your Nuts
Cape Town, South Africa
Testicular Cancer Summit Guest Speaker - Nancy Balin
The Jaimeson Jones Memorial Scholarship has two missions: Providing scholarships to families who have experienced childhood cancer, and preaching early detection of TC by teaching its signs and symptoms. JJMS is dedicated to changing the culture of silence about men’s health and heightening people’s awareness about testicular cancer, and to do that, we get them where they live: with humor. We are beyond honored and thrilled to be attending the first-ever Testicular Cancer Summit.
The Jaimeson Jones Memorial Scholarship
In 2005, 14-year-old Jaimeson Jones had a secret. Not a good secret, though – a deadly one. The ninth grader had increasingly painful swelling in his left testicle, and he had suffered in silence already for more than a year. When he finally couldn’t stand the pain any more, he landed in the ER, where he was diagnosed with Stage IV (now known as Stage IIIC) poor-prognosis testicular cancer. After in-person consultations with the great Lawrence Einhorn, M.D. and his expert panel of surgeons, multiple rounds of chemotherapy in Seattle and four major surgeries at IUPUI, Jaimeson’s cancer went into remission late that year.
While he was in remission, he tellingly explained to a high school friend, “It just kept getting bigger and bigger, but I was too embarrassed to tell my mom.”
In 2009, when Jaimeson was 19, the cancer recurred, and he endured even more extreme treatment, including high-dose chemotherapy with two stem cell transplants (chillingly, prophetically, known as “salvage therapy”) and two major lung surgeries. This time, though, he couldn’t be saved, and he died at age 20 in 2010, leaving a devastated family and community.
Jaimeson bequeathed his college savings to his two younger sisters, then 12 and 18, because he understood the financial devastation his illness had caused the family.
Jaimeson Jones died of embarrassment, like so many other young men with TC. Testicular cancer is the “perfect storm” of a disease, despite Dr. Einhorn’s monumental work in the 1970s. This is not because there is no successful treatment, but because the target demographic most likely to get it (men ages 15-35) feel invincible, hate going to the doctor, feel embarrassed about where their symptoms are, and don’t realize that those symptoms may indicate cancer. So, they wait. And wait. Just as Jaimeson did.
JJMS is dedicated to changing the culture of silence about men’s health and heightening people’s awareness about testicular cancer, and to do that, we get them where they live: with humor. The annual Seattle-area Family Jewels 5K (get it?) raises scholarship funds, and JJMS educates that captive audience with their “30-second lecture” about testicles: “Shouldn’t hurt! Shouldn’t have lumps or bumps! Shouldn’t be (way) different sizes! And if there’s a change – GO SEE A UROLOGIST!” Nut Notes along the route gently pester men to do self-checks: “Too chicken to check your nuggets?” “Check your ‘nads, lads!” “Don’t be slackers, check your knackers!” “Carpe Scrotum!” Family and friend groups jog by, laugh, and learn – and we save lives.
The Jaimeson Jones Memorial Scholarship has two missions: Providing scholarships to families who have experienced childhood cancer, and preaching early detection of TC by teaching its signs and symptoms. We are beyond honored and thrilled to be attending the first-ever Testicular Cancer Summit.
Nancy Balin
Jaimeson Jones Memorial Scholarship
Testicular Cancer Summit Guest Speaker - Jason Greenspan
Jason is looking forward to the Testicular Cancer Summit because it is a great way for all members of the Testicular Cancer community to come together and interact. He will be able to share his story with others, but also learn from other Testicular Cancer survivors as well! There will be survivors from all over the world and many Testicular Cancer foundations, as well as world renowned doctors who specialize in the treatment of Testicular Cancer. With all these elements and this being the first event of its kind anywhere in the world, the event is sure to be a major success! Jason will be speaking about his cancer journey as a student in high school and the impact it had on his life. He will also be discussing what young men can do to be more active about Testicular Cancer awareness in their own communities.
Jason Greenspan, the founder of Stamp Out Cancer Now! was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer when he was 18 years old in his senior year of high school. Stamp Out Cancer Now! is a fundraiser and Testicular Cancer campaign designed to bring more awareness of this type of cancer to young men and college students. Jason has been able to share his story by appearing on numerous television news segments, local talk shows, newspaper & magazine articles, and even the radio. He regularly attends fundraising events and is often a guest speaker, speaking about his own cancer journey. Jason is a Marketing major at Shippensburg University, graduating in December 2017.
When Jason was diagnosed, he was planning for his prom and awaiting graduation. This was supposed to be the time of his life: enjoying time with friends and finishing high school before entering the real world. Just before his prom, while he was watching television, he had an itch that ended up being the most important itch he would ever experience. After visiting his doctor a few days later, he got the news that would change his life forever. The doctor told him that he had Testicular Cancer and was going to need surgery to remove the tumor. Jason felt like his life was now on hold. He was supposed to go to his prom, graduation, and then college in the fall. After his surgery, he needed to have nine weeks of chemotherapy which became some of the most difficult days of his life.
Since he was diagnosed, Jason has made a strong presence in the cancer community. Within weeks of being diagnosed, he created his own fundraiser called, Stamp Out Cancer Now! In his first year of college, he became Sponsorship Chair for the Colleges Against Cancer club. Each year he has increased his position, landing him as the current President of the club. This summer, Jason became a Board Member of the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation while interning at Johns Hopkins Hospital with another TCAF board member, Dr. Phillip Pierorazio. He researches about Testicular Cancer and plans survivor events.
Jason is looking forward to the Testicular Cancer Summit because it is a great way for all members of the Testicular Cancer community to come together and interact. He will be able to share his story with others, but also learn from other Testicular Cancer survivors as well! There will be survivors from all over the world and many Testicular Cancer foundations, as well as world renowned doctors who specialize in the treatment of Testicular Cancer. With all these elements and this being the first event of its kind anywhere in the world, the event is sure to be a major success! Jason will be speaking about his cancer journey as a student in high school and the impact it had on his life. He will also be discussing what young men can do to be more active about Testicular Cancer awareness in their own communities.
Remember TWO Check!
Jason Greenspan
Stamp Out Cancer Now!
Rockville, MD
Testicular Cancer Summit Guest Speaker - Thomas Cantley (Mr.Ballsy)
After being diagnosed with stage 3 Testicular Cancer that spread to my lymph nodes (because I put off going to the doctor), I got inspired. Two years ago, I created a campaign that received worldwide attention - I pushed a giant inflatable testicle across 2 countries and over 8,000 miles to raise awareness for this cancer. Yes, you heard that right, a giant NUT!
After being diagnosed with stage 3 Testicular Cancer that spread to my lymph nodes (because I put off going to the doctor), I got inspired. Two years ago, I created a campaign that received worldwide attention - I pushed a giant inflatable testicle across 2 countries and over 8,000 miles to raise awareness for this cancer. Yes, you heard that right, a giant NUT!
Mr.Ballsy in New Mexico, September 2014 via Facebook.
I wanted men to be ballsy by talking about their health and to stop ignoring it because they're too proud/shy/embarrassed (you fill in the blanks). And I definitely got people talking! This amazing journey has made me recognized globally and quoted as one of the most outspoken voices in Testicular Cancer awareness in the world. I have gained hundreds of hours of media coverage for this worthy cause. But best of all, I met amazing people who I inspired to be ballsy about their health and who also inspired me.
Look out for my film documenting this amazing experience this year! My mission is to inspire them to live well physically and mentally. Often times, after men seek physical treatment for their issues, they ignore their mental health. 50% of what I do is talk to men about mentally preparing for a diagnosis and helping them wrap their heads around recovery from a diagnosis. Mindset is key - healthy mind equals healthy body.
I have an awareness COMIC coming out this November, and a Documentary in 2018. I am so glad to be a part of a great summit like this because it brings together people from all over the world that share one thing - cancer. It's a great way to connect , educate and learn. The TC community is a family and a bond like no other, I have built relationships with a lot of people attending and speaking that I've known for years and am so excited to finally meet. That is why events like these are important.
Thomas Cantley
Mr.Ballsy