“It’s important for us to recognize the week of April 1-7 as Testicular Cancer Awareness Week in Michigan because if testicular cancer is caught and treated early, there is an almost 100 percent cure rate. This disease is most common in men between the ages of 15 and 35, but current statistics show that one in 250 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in their lifetime. One man in the United States is diagnosed each hour, and on average, more than one man dies each day from testicular cancer. According to the World Health Organization, the rate of testicular cancer among firefighters is almost 50 percent higher than in the general population.
“Highlighting this disease will, I hope, save lives by encouraging men to discuss testicular cancer with their health care provider, regularly conduct self-exams, and to end the stigma surrounding the disease by talking about it with their friends and family members.”