Merlin Griffiths Instagram – #Repost @macmillancancer with @let.repost
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We understand that men find it difficult to talk about their diagnosis.
In a bid to help more men to find the words – Merlin and Nick share their reflections on opening up about their bowel cancer diagnoses.
First Dates star @merlinfdc4 was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021. He has been undergoing treatment after a stage 3C, T4 tumour was found in his rectum, but his latest scan showed no recurrence of his cancer.
“Men are rubbish at opening up sometimes. Honestly, little things we will talk the hind legs off a donkey. The big things can be tough to talk about but when it comes to cancer, it’s incredibly important that we do talk.
“Initially, it was very difficult to talk about my cancer diagnosis, but then there was a penny-drop moment when you realise that talking about it is actually a good thing.
“The biggest thing you have to realise is that when you bottle it up, whether symptoms or diagnosis, you might think in your head you’re okay, but people will notice that you’re actually not. You will literally feel a burden unloaded once you let it out. Even if it is just one or two people you talk to.”
@nick_summerfield was diagnosed with bowel cancer in his early 30s at the start of the pandemic but is now cancer free.
Nick told us that in the run-up to his diagnosis he did the ‘classic male thing of not doing anything about it’.
“Looking back, I definitely put a brave face on and there was the attitude of never giving-up and I just keep going. When I got diagnosed, everything changed overnight. It was really difficult to look too far into the future, which is what made it hard to talk about.
“I certainly was guilty of bottling up at the beginning, which doesn’t help you, mentally or physically but there became a time where I needed to express how I was feeling and just get it out there. As soon as I began expressing how I was feeling, my family and friends were there for me in the way I needed it. I also leaned on the support of Macmillan and actually talking about what I was going through really helped ease the pressure.” | Posted on 04/Aug/2023 04:28:52
