A YOUNG man diagnosed with cancer only lived with the turmoil of having it "for the weekend" after surgeons operated on him after just three days.
Rick Ormiston was given the all-clear following super-fast surgery for testicular cancer at the Royal Derby Hospital.
Consultants said operating quickly was vital because of the aggressive nature of the disease and its ability to spread quickly.
Rick, of Queen's Drive, Littleover, who continues to go for regular health check-ups after his operation, is now raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. The 38-year-old said: "It is very strange, just having cancer for the weekend – I had my diagnosis, then the operation, then the all-clear and that was that.
"There are so many people who are not as lucky as me and that's why I want to raise money – to help people who have to live with the condition for so much longer."
Dr Simon Williams, consultant urologist for Derby's hospitals, said: "Testicular cancer can progress quite quickly so we always try to make room for people to have their operation as soon as we can.
"I think people are sometimes surprised when we offer them the chance to have the operation so soon after diagnosis but most people want to go through with it quickly."
Just over 2,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year – accounting for 1% of all cancers which men can develop.
But, if treated quickly, more than 95% of men can be completely cured. About 70 men in the UK die from the condition every year.
Rick was diagnosed with the condition after discovering a lump and being referred to hospital.
He said: "They did an MRI and a CT scan and then I was told: 'Yes, it's cancer'.
"But then they had removed it just like that, before there was much time to digest the news.
"I would definitely advise people if they have concerns to get it checked out as soon as they can. My experience turned out really positive."
Mr Williams said: "Very often in these situations, we have young, strong guys who don't need a pre-operation work-up, which is another reasons why we can get them in quickly.
"Because this type of operation takes about 20 minutes, we wouldn't need to postpone someone else to fit that person in.
"If the cancer has then spread to other parts of the body, we then have further treatment options. But that's why we do our best to treat people as quickly as possible."
Rick's challenge to raise £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support started in April last year, when he and about 15 others decided to walk the distance of more than nine marathons.
The 240 miles are being completed over five different walks and they contain more than 64,500 feet of ascent – more than the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest twice.
Rick and his group – which includes people from Derby, Manchester and Stockport – have already finished four of the walks, including the Gritstone Trail, in Cheshire, and the Three Peaks Challenge of Ben Nevis (Scotland), Scafell Pike (England) and Snowdon (Wales).
Their final walk – the Wainwright Memorial Walk through the Lake District – will see them trekking 107 miles in six days. It starts on Thursday.
Rick said: "We have £7,000 so we are hoping to hit our target by the time we reach the end of the last walk.
"Everyone involved has some form of connection with cancer but that's because, increasingly, everyone either has cancer or knows someone with it."
To support Rick and his group, visit www.justgiving.com/miles4macmillan.
'LUMPS SHOULD NEVER BE IGNORED'
MEN between the 15 and 44 are most likely affected by testicular cancer, according to the NHS.
And the most common symptom of the condition is a lump or swelling in one of the testicles.
Doctors said this may be about the size of a pea but it could be larger – most lumps or signs of swelling are not a sign of cancer.
However, a spokesman for NHS Choices said: "Lumps should never be ignored. You should visit your GP as soon as you notice a lump or swelling in one of your testicles."
Other symptoms of the condition include a dull ache or sharp pain in the testicles or scrotum, which may come and go, or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
A dull ache in the lower abdomen, a sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum, fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell could also be signs of the condition.
The spokesman said: "Research has shown that fewer than 4% of testicular lumps are cancerous.
"For example, swollen blood vessels are a common cause of testicular lumps.
"In the unlikely event you do have testicular cancer, the sooner treatment begins, the greater the likelihood you will be completely cured.
"If you do not feel comfortable visiting your GP, you can go to your local sexual health clinic, where a healthcare professional will be able to examine you."
