A father of one who was too embarrassed to get treatment for a testicular tumour for two years is appealing to all men to just 'drop your trousers' and get all lumps checked.
's cancer had spread to his stomach and shoulder before the pain became too unbearable to ignore any longer during a break-away.
In the months that followed, the then 38-year-old had an operation to remove both the tumour and testicle, followed by a gruelling three months of intensive chemotherapy.
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Remarkably he defied medics' advice not to return to work for two years and was back at his job as a refrigeration engineer after just seven months.
Graham, 41, also highlighted how hard it was to access any financial help from the State and how he couldn't even afford to bring his then four-year old son Harley, seven, for a simple McDonalds.
"I did notice I had a swollen testicle but I was a typical man and just ignored it for two years," said the resident of Tallaght in Dublin.
"It became very sore and eventually the pain started to wake me up. Then I suffered chronic pain in my stomach and back but I thought it was to do with my diet of takeaways and so bought heat wraps from a pharmacist to dull the constant pain.
"My partner Vicky and I were driving to Kerry for the weekend in late March 2019 and the pain became ferociously bad. I couldn't get out of the hotel bed the next morning and had to be taken to Tralee General by ambulance.
"As I was going home to Dublin the next day, I was told to drive straight to the Emergency Department at Tallaght Hospital where I had to wait two and a half days before I was seen
"I was asked to drop my trousers and told I had a tumour which needed to be operated on immediately. I was initially very embarrassed and then very frightened."
Graham was first sent to the Rotunda Hospital where his sperm was saved in case he wanted to father another child in the future. Then his testicle and tumour were removed a few days later.
However the pain in his stomach and shoulder remained and a few weeks later, after being brought to hospital again by ambulance, further tests showed the cancer had spread to his stomach and shoulder.
"I needed intensive chemotherapy over three months which absolutely wiped me out. But thankfully, I'm free of cancer."
Graham's illness meant he wasn't able to work and his savings were quickly spent on paying for medication, yet he found it hard to get any help from the State.
"I worked 25 years and paid all my taxes. The Social Welfare were nearly kicking me out the door when I looked for help. I was the sole earner trying to provide for my son and paying my rent and bills as well.
"I was paying €700 in medication over three months. I was filling out endless paperwork for illness benefits and was exhausted. It killed me that I couldn't even buy my son Harley a game or bring him for a McDonalds.
"The Government will look for your individual vote but after that, they don't care about the individual needing short-term help due to sickness. It's the voluntary donations to cancer groups who really help people through their illness. Cancer patients should be able to concentrate solely on their recovery and not have to copy with additional stress of financial matters.
"I remained positive through the treatment and I was always thinking of getting back to work. That's what kept me going. And so between knowing that I had to go to work to get through this mentally and financially, I was back working after seven months which surprised everyone.
"I went back before I was fully recovered. I had pins and needles in my hands and was dropping tools but I kept going. I kept positive. I reassessed my life.
"I also made the decision to change my job so I could see more of Harley. I applied for a job as a service engineer with Eurotech and haven't looked back since.
"I was lucky. For two years, I ignored a lump because I was too embarrassed to go to a doctor. That shouldn't be the case. If any man sees any lump or anything unusual, go to the doctor, drop your trousers and get it seen to as soon as possible."
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