An Online Angel
- OnlyFans star Belle Grace went above and beyond her typical video call duties when she noticed one of her loyal subscribers of two years had a swollen testicle. Urging him to go get checked, he found out it was testicular cancer.
- The U.K.-based redhead, who left her career as a caregiver for autistic children and adults due to COVID, and says she makes over $50,000 per month on the adult platform.
- Testicular cancer starts in the testicles, which are part of the male reproductive system. The two organs are each normally a little smaller than a golf ball in adult males, according to the American Cancer Society.
"I noticed one testicle [was] approx. 4X larger than the other,” the concerned model told Your Tango. "He said it didn't hurt, never had any issues with it, one just was always much larger.
Read MoreBelle described the nature of her work honestly, saying that there is a ‘”special video call” she does once a month with subscribers like this one, which will sometimes turn intimate.
"This specific subscriber seeks my time, attention, and conversation," she said. "Our cam dates serve mostly to keep him company but they also can venture into sexual video interaction from me."
The Loyal Subscriber’s Cancer
Belle was right about her online friend’s cancer. Not only did she notice the abnormal swelling, but she repeatedly followed up with the man to make sure that he went in to get checked.
"While most of my experience deals with autistic individuals rather than cancer patients, there are moments when you just know something doesn't quite look right or feel right and I had to say something,” she said.
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The social media star’s client is currently waiting for more tests to see if the cancer has spread. Either way, he has Belle to thank for her keen eye. Especially since he says he had no other symptoms.
"I would always invest in getting to know your partner’s body to where if something changes, it’s easily noticeable," Belle said. "Don’t be afraid to question any abnormalities – it’s for the best!"
Learning About Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer starts in the testicles (also called testes; a single testicle is called a testis), and these organs are part of the male reproductive system. The two organs are each normally a little smaller than a golf ball in adult males, according to the American Cancer Society. The testes are held within a sac of skin called the scrotum, which hangs under the base of the penis.
Testicular cancer is not common, according to ACS. In fact, about 1 of every 250 males will develop testicular cancer at some point during their lifetime. In contrast, since testicular cancer can usually be treated successfully, a man's lifetime risk of dying from this cancer is very low about 1 in 5,000.
Dealing With the Shame That May Come With Testicular Cancer
Dr. Edwin Posadas, the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, previously told SurvivorNet that testicular cancer doesn't often present with pain, but it can.
"Most men will present with some sort of mass on their testicle; a sexual partner or spouse may feel the mass when they're being intimate," he said, adding that some men may notice blood in their ejaculate as a result of testicular cancer, which is a less common symptom.
When Mark Borja was first diagnosed with testicular cancer, he felt ashamed of the diagnosis. "Losing that part of your manhood is extremely devastating," Mark told SurvivorNet. "…I almost didn't want to talk about it because it just felt so devastating and it made me feel weak."
Luckily for Mark, who is a filmmaker based out of North Carolina, his friends and family were there for him every step of the way.
Save A Nut Testicular Cancer Survivor Mark Borja Makes It His Mission To Spread Awareness
After his own experience with the disease, Mark became curious about how testicular cancer awareness was being spread in his area. Turns out, it wasn't.
"When I looked it up, there was literally no one in Charlotte, North Carolina, doing anything regarding raising awareness for testicular cancer or anything like that,” he said. “I wanted to create this thing called 'Save a Nut.' I wanted to make sure that other guys knew that they're not alone for this."
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