Mark's cancer battle
2003-08-14 11:08
Philip de Bruin
Johannesburg - Mark Pilgrim, Big Brother presenter and 5fm DJ, is living with the sword of cancer in his testicles, lungs and kidneys, hanging over his head.
"People who are wondering why I don't grow my hair, can now hear the truth. I shave my head to remind me that the cancer is now in remission and that I must be thankful that I'm alive.
"It reminds me of the four years of treatment before the cancer went into remission", Pilgrim, 33, said during a frank talk about his cancer.
He was a young man of 18 when he noticed a "strange swelling" on his one testicle, "but as is often the case with young men, I ignored it and thought maybe I'd accidentally bumped it. It became worse and when I eventually consulted a doctor, the cancer had already spread to my lungs and kidneys.
"How did I feel when I was diagnosed? You know...I wasn't scared. Everyone around me was scared because the doctors told my family they didn't know if I was going to live.
"I remained positive. What I do remember very clearly, though, is the humiliation walking down the street without hair. My hair obviously fell out because of the chemotherapy. Bald men weren't hip and cool at that time. People stared at me and many told me that I was a freak.
"It was only years later, when the pop group Right Said Fred appeared on the scene in the nineties, when bald men were accepted. Nowadays I look cool. Every time I look at my bald head, I'm thankful that my life has been spared and that the cancer is in remission."
Pilgrim says he still goes for annual check-ups to ensure that the cancer doesn't flare up again.
"I live a healthy lifestyle, I obviously don't smoke and wherever I go, I give men between the ages of 18 and 35 the message not to be shy about testicle cancer.
"It really only takes a few seconds for a man to check his testicles after a shower. If there's the slightest swelling or lump, go to the doctor immediately. In my case it was nearly too late. Cancer can be stopped if diagnosed in time."
- Beeld