27 May 2023 , 23:16
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A dating show star has told how he received a devastating cancer diagnosis on returning to the UK after having testicular pain while "living his best life" in a trip around the world.
Mikey Connor was travelling around Mexico when he discovered a lump on one of his testicles but with plane tickets booked to Australia, Thailand and America, the lump “wasn’t at the forefront” of his worries.
The 28-year-old believed the pain was “all in his head”, resulting from him touching the lump and he said how it would come and go, but when there, would spread to his leg, abdomen and stomach.
It wasn’t until eight months later when Mikey returned home to Orrell Park, Liverpool - where he lives with his mum and younger brother - the pain became more consistent and started “to radiate everywhere”.
He reportedly said: “I weren't getting any pain for a while but when I came back to Liverpool it started to come back. It was horrible - it was like when you were younger and you were kicked in the testicles and you got that winded feeling.
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Mickey was diagnosed with testicular cancer (BBC)“I went to my GP and because I was young, fit and healthy, I was rushed through the system and four weeks later I was on the operating table. Everything moved so quickly. It was tough going from travelling the world and living my best life to having the word cancer mentioned.
“It threw me off, I never thought it would have happened to me. Cancer was never close to home, not for my family anyway. My head fell off with all the talk about cancer.”
The part-time model is currently on BBC ’s I Kissed A Boy and fans will be somewhat already familiar with Mikey’s story as in a recent episode, the TikToker opened up about his life-changing diagnosis, reported the Liverpool Echo.
Mikey believed he was cancer-free while he was filming the UK’s first gay dating show but on the way home from the Italian Masseria, he was informed there was a 25% chance his cancer could return. With this in mind, Mikey opted to go through chemotherapy.
He added: “It knocked me sideways. It was the worst thing I have ever gone through. It hit me like a ton of bricks. One week after having it I was rushed back into Clatterbridge because I had lost sight in my left eye, couldn’t feel my arms and legs, having panic attacks. It knocked me for six.”
Since the episode aired, where Mikey spoke about his experience, he said the love and support from viewers has been overwhelming.
He added: “It was something I always wanted to talk about on the show. I can only describe the positive response as love, I can’t think of any other way to describe it.
“The main thing is that people are talking and asking about warning signs and symptoms. If my story can help one person that’s the main thing. Take the reality side out of things, this is real life and I’m one of the lucky ones to still be here.”