“It’s nice to be called an inspiration, but I’m just a guy who wants to use his cancer experience to help others.” – Stephen’s experience

Stephen Jennings has visited over 50 countries around the world, but since his cancer diagnosis, every trip he embarks on is more than just a holiday – it’s a celebration of life.  

Alongside travelling the world, the 34-year-old from Huddersfield has one mission: to help other people with cancer and contribute to life-saving cancer research in Yorkshire. To help him do this, he has joined the Yorkshire Cancer Research Influencers, where he’ll be helping to guide important decisions on the charity’s life-saving work and ensure it truly reflects the needs and experiences of those affected by cancer in the region. 

In September 2022, Stephen was trekking in Jordan when his doctor rang him to say he needed to discuss the results from a recent ultrasound. Stephen had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2019 and had suffered intermittent abdominal pain for a few years which would often get worse at night. The ultrasound to investigate the abdominal pain had shown a mass in his abdomen, so he was booked in for a CT scan for further investigation.

The following month, Stephen had the CT scan which found a 15cm mass in the bottom left of his abdomen. Following more blood tests and a biopsy, he was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer. Unfortunately, the tumour was fast-growing and had grown another 5cm from when it was first detected by the scan.

In November, Stephen began an intense 12-week course of chemotherapy at St James’s Hospital in Leeds. 

In February 2023, blood tests showed the treatment had worked. In March 2023, he had surgery to remove his testicle and was told he would be monitored regularly for the next four months.  

“Physically I coped with the chemotherapy well, but there were other side effects that deeply impacted me. It’s not really spoken about, but chemotherapy can affect your sperm count, and I struggled to accept that I will most likely remain infertile.”

The next stage in Stephen’s cancer treatment was to have surgery to remove the lymph nodes in his abdomen, however he was told he would have to wait six months before having this procedure. 

In the interim period, Stephen decided to get back to his passion: travelling the world. He booked a flight to Peru with his wife and just four months after finishing chemotherapy, he was trekking up Machu Pichu.

Unfortunately, history repeated itself when he received another concerned call from his doctor: his blood tests showed potential tumour growth and he would have to undertake a second course of chemotherapy.

“I couldn’t help feel like I was back at square one again. I started my second course of chemotherapy at the end of July 2023 and it was far more challenging than the first. But I just kept looking forward and focused on doing whatever I could do to get better.”

In September 2023, Stephen’s blood test results had returned to normal levels, so he was able to re-book the final operation to remove the lymph nodes in his abdomen. The operation was booked for March 2024, giving him just enough time to set-off around the world once again: next stop, Bahrain.  

Stephen’s operation was successful although not straightforward. Due to the amount of blood loss in his bowel, he was fitted with a temporary stoma bag and experienced some complications following the surgery.  

In May 2024, Stephen was given the all-clear and is having blood tests every three months and scans every six months to hopefully confirm he remains cancer-free.  

This year, he underwent surgery to reverse his stoma. Although he is recovering well, the operation was complicated and he will need another one in the future.

Stephen said: “My bloods keep coming back normal, which is hugely reassuring, but there are still a few areas my doctors are watching closely. A mass was found in my abdomen recently although I’ve been told it only needs monitoring. Yes, I’m doing well, but cancer is that shadow that never fully goes away. Every check brings anxiety and my recovery from treatment certainly hasn’t been a straightforward process. I’m staying positive though and will keep pushing on.”

Now more than ever, Stephen is determined to travel to as many places around the world as he can.

When he is in the UK, Stephen works in a full-time role in customer service. Alongside returning to work, he wants to do whatever he can to share his experience to help other people with cancer. He has joined the Yorkshire Cancer Research Influencers to help shape vital progress in cancer research for the benefit of communities across Yorkshire, now and in the future.  

By sharing ideas and insights from their own experience of cancer, Yorkshire Cancer Research Influencers help shape a wide range of projects across the charity, supporting its mission to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire. Their involvement forms part of the charity’s wider commitment to ensure people affected by cancer, or at risk of cancer, are at the heart of the charity’s work.

Stephen said: “I’m so proud of being from Yorkshire and it’s great to have a charity like Yorkshire Cancer Research that helps people in communities local to me. Cancer reaches into all ways in life, and I want to share my experience to make a positive impact to cancer research in Yorkshire.” 

When asked about the support his wife Emma has provided him, Stephen said: “Emma has remained a force of positivity and resilience throughout. As a midwife at the same hospital where I was treated, she understood and helped explain the clinical side of things.”

“We’ve been together for 15 years and we’re as strong as we’ve ever been. Cancer really puts things in perspective: we certainly don’t argue about loading the dishwasher anymore!” 

During his treatment, Stephen became close friends with someone who was diagnosed with testicular cancer a year after him. They supported each other throughout each other’s treatment and developed a bond Stephen describes as “lasting a lifetime.”  They’ve already been on holiday together twice with their partners and later this year, they will all be travelling to Thailand.

Since his treatment, Stephen has already experienced the positive impact that sharing his experience has had on other people with cancer.

He continued: “Early diagnosis is absolutely pivotal, and I hope my voice can encourage people to get in contact with their GP if they’re worried about symptoms.”

“As someone who has had testicular cancer, I am also passionate about breaking the cultural stigma around the disease and helping men feel comfortable about getting checked. Greater education is needed around symptoms of testicular cancer, and we need more public ambassadors to help raise awareness.”  

On the importance of funding life-saving cancer research in Yorkshire, Stephen said: “Cancer treatments have come on leaps and bounds, and I know I wouldn’t be here fifty years ago. There’s still a 50% chance that my cancer will come back, so it is vital we keep funding researchers to find cures, for all types of cancers.”