A year ago I was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer along with secondary lymph node cancer in my stomach and neck. 

I’ve had a couple of surgeries including a “neck dissection” which makes me look like a failed Frankenstein, alongside several lovely rounds of chemotherapy. I still have a possible tumour in my stomach but it’s a very invasive surgery to remove that - so as long as it’s not growing they are happy to leave it and just monitor it every couple of months.

As you can imagine, it’s not quite how I planned my last year of my 20’s but it was certainly one to remember.                                                           

My treatment was split between Ysbyty Gwynedd (Bangor) and Glan Clwyd Hospital. The care in both was top notch! However, Bangor had a really good coffee machine… After speaking to other patients and also their family and friends, complaints about Glan Clwyd’s watery coffee and hot chocolate was a common theme. A milky coffee or a creamy hot chocolate makes all the difference when your mouth tastes metallic from all the drugs being infused into you! 

So now I’m fundraising for a new coffee machine for the North Wales Cancer Centre at Glan Clwyd with North Wales Cancer Appeal.

I have been luckily unlucky with my experience. Chances are that I will end up receiving more treatment again – might be in a year, two, ten or maybe never (fingers crossed – wouldn’t that be nice?!) I’m keen to do what I can whilst I can! 

If you would like to donate towards a new coffee machine, that would be incredible and very generous of you!

Have a good day!