A man who needed four inches of his penis amputating after a cancer diagnosis has answered the burning question on everyone's mind – how did it impact his sex life?
When Steven Hamill was just 26 years old, he began to experience swollen genitals. The Liverpool man initially did what everyone does when they notice something unusual with their health: ignore it and hope the issue clears up on its own.
But after several scary incidents in which he began to bleed from downstairs, Steven decided to seek medical treatment and was ultimately diagnosed with penile cancer.
Treatment for the condition - which makes up less than one percent of all new cancer cases in the country - involved having four inches of his manhood chopped off.
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Seven years on, Steven has spoken out about the impact his diagnosis had on his life in an interview with The Sun, including disclosing some very intimate details.
Opening up about learning that he would need half of his penis removed, Steven explained that he'd initially been more than happy to go along with the surgery due to the pain he was in.
When it became apparent that Steven would recover from the cancer, his thoughts shifted to living the rest of his life with half a penis, something which he has been able to accept as a worthwhile trade-off for the rest of his life.
In fact, the 34-year-old even claims that his sex life is now better than ever.
"Intimacy is a lot better for me now," he said. "No woman has ever had a problem with it. The big learning has been that men care more about the penis than women do.
"We get so bothered about the size, but if you just listen to your partner and what she likes, you’ll be a lot better than the people who are like I was pre-cancer."
Steven added that although he is currently single, he has been able to have a number of successful relationships since his surgery, even becoming a father to a four-year-old son.
"I was told I would never have kids because the surgery happened on my urethra, and I now have a four-year-old boy," he said during an interview on This Morning.
"Everything is still functional and I can still have kids."
What are the signs and symptoms of penile cancer?
According to the NHS, the most common symptoms of penile cancer include:
- A growth, lump or sore that does not heal within four weeks
- A rash
- Bleeding
- Smelly discharge
- Having difficulty pulling back your foreskin
- Unexplained skin color changes
The healthcare provider adds that most cases of the disease will see patients experience symptoms which 'affect the skin covering the penis (foreskin), or the head or tip (glans) of the penis'.
Other, more generalised, symptoms include:
- Lump in the groin
- Tiredness
- Pain in the tummy
- Losing weight without trying
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Cancer, Health, Sex and Relationships
Brenna Cooper