It was July 2021 when Gavin Brooks realised there was something wrong with his body. The dad-of-two noticed his foreskin had become swollen, as though there was a rubber band around it.
As the swelling grew excruciatingly painful, Gavin, who was serving in the army at the time, decided to visit his GP. Doctors told the then 44-year-old he probably had thrush, a common yeast infection, and that the swelling would go away over time.
But as his symptoms persisted, the warrant officer sought a second opinion at a sexual health clinic. After three misdiagnoses, Gavin was finally referred to a urologist who gave him the news he was dreading. Gavin had penile cancer.
“Getting told at 44 that you have stage two penile cancer was a huge shock and I’ve seen some shocking things in my 24 years of service in the army,” he said. “However, nothing can compare to having to tell your children that I’ve got my biggest fight yet ahead of me.”
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Sadly, Gavin did not receive his diagnosis until five months after his symptoms first started. Because the cancer had spread so drastically, he needed to undertake a partial penectomy in January this year, where the end of the penis is removed.
He also required further surgery in April to remove the lymph nodes in his groin and an intense round of chemotherapy in June. Gavin, who is from Crewe, is currently receiving treatment at The Christie in Manchester.
Sadly, Gavin’s first round of chemotherapy was unsuccessful and the cancer is now at stage N3, meaning it is extremely aggressive – potentially giving him just months left to live.
Penile cancer is rare, according to Macmillan Cancer Support. Around 700 people are diagnosed each year in the UK and one in 493 males will have penile cancer in their lifetime. A person's risk of developing the cancer depends on many factors, including age and genetics.
Signs of the cancer will typically first start at the top of the penis as either raised patches or white raised spots. At this stage, surgery can be carried out to remove the cancerous tissue, leaving the penis mainly intact. However, the longer the disease is left, the more invasive the surgery becomes.
“Since my initial partial penectomy the cancer has spread to other parts of my body, so I’m now on my second chemotherapy treatment with radiotherapy included too,” Gavin, now 45, added.
“This cancer doesn’t look like it’s going without a fight, so I’m prepared to fight with everything I’ve got, so I can see my children grow up and witness my son lift the World Cup one day!
“I’m now seeking other treatments that are not offered on the NHS – these alternative treatments include Immunotherapy, Proton Beam therapy and Dendritic cell treatment, which are currently used widely overseas in Germany, Gibraltar and Japan in the advanced cancer stages. These treatments are known to give patients additional years of life and help alleviate the symptoms cancer cause.”
Gavin’s put his determination to fight this brutal disease down to his two children, Camren, 15, and Jorje, 10. He started #CheckYourCockerel to help raise awareness and funds for charity, but also as something to focus on while he undergoes his intensive treatment at The Christie.
He has recently set up an Instagram page to raise awareness of the disease and says he hopes more men will come forward sooner if they notice symptoms of penile cancer.
“If you haven’t heard of penile cancer before, you’re not alone as I hadn’t either, which is why I’ve started the campaign #CheckYourCockerel to raise awareness of the disease and help prevent men from getting a late diagnosis like me,” he added.
To read more about Gavin Brooks’ campaign, or to donate to his lifesaving trip to Germany, please visit: www.screamingcockerel.com or follow his story on @screamingcockerel.
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