Steve, a 51-year-old father of two from Leicestershire, was last year diagnosed with penile cancer after seeking medical advice for what he thought was a minor health issue.

To mark his recovery and raise awareness of the importance of speaking up about men’s health, Steve is running this year’s adidas Manchester Marathon in support of Cancer Research UK, hoping his story encourages other men not to ignore symptoms or feel embarrassed about seeing their GP.

Steve told us more about what inspires him, and why sport has played such a key role in his recovery.

Words by Stephen Adnam 

Hi, I’m Steve. I’m 51 and live in Leicestershire with my wife and our two daughters. I’m a lawyer and, like many blokes, enjoy sport, keeping fit and spending time with my family. 

My cancer, like many others, was discovered when I went to the doctor about what I thought was a general health complaint – in my case, one that was ‘down there’. A GP has already prescribed me antibiotics and creams and I had been advised to consider circumcision as a long-term solution. I never once thought it could be penile cancer, but in March 2025 I found myself sitting opposite a consultant with my wife, being told exactly that. My wife was crying, and I remember feeling completely shell-shocked, slowly repeating the words back to the consultant to make sure I fully understood what I’d just been told. 

I’d previously taken an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to what I thought was my general health issue, but now I understood that action was needed. One of the hardest parts of the diagnosis was being confronted with my own mortality, and the thought of leaving my wife and children behind. I wouldn’t see my daughters grow up, get married or have children of their own. Despite the shock, I also felt defiant and determined to fight the cancer with everything I had. 

 

After my first operation which was a circumcision, treatment following my diagnosis a glansectomy (removal of the tip of my penis) and removal of sentinel lymph nodes in my groin. Skin was also taken from my leg and grafted onto the end of my penis. I won’t lie – it was pretty scary – but the staff at Leicester General Hospital were fantastic throughout. It was particularly distressing seeing myself immediately after surgery, and I’ll never forget the car journey home with a catheter, discovering every pothole imaginable. 

The healing process was slow and frustrating, but I was incredibly fortunate to be told that the operation had been a success. I was elated, but I also couldn’t stop thinking: what if I hadn’t gone to see my GP? What if I hadn’t followed their advice? Because my cancer was caught early, my chances of beating it were significantly higher. Not everyone gets the chance for the cancer to be removed or to hear that they are cancer-free. 

I’m now fully healed, with my brilliant consultant having quite literally put me back together in I’m told the most aesthetically pleasing way possible. It’s taken time to rebuild my confidence, but I’m grateful that everything works as it should. I’ve moved into the active monitoring stage and will be checked regularly for the next five years. 

Now that I’m back to everyday life, I want to do something meaningful with this experience. I’m a keen runner but have never tackled a marathon, so the adidas Manchester Marathon on 19th April feels like the perfect challenge. It is also an opportunity to raise money for Cancer Research UK, whose work is vital to support people that need it and ultimately get closer to defeating this horribly common disease. I’ll be running the 26.2 miles not just for myself, but for everyone affected by cancer, including my friend John, who died a couple of years ago from pancreatic cancer. I often think of him during training, how unlucky he was and remind myself how lucky I am to still be here. 

Running has helped keep me sane through all of this, alongside my wonderfully supportive family and friends, and the medical professionals who listened to and treated me. Especially for the blokes out there: don’t ever be too embarrassed to speak up about a health concern. I’m here today because I talked to my GP about something that felt awkward – a condition that affects around 700 men in the UK each year. I didn’t let male pride get in the way (and anyway, the doctor has seen it all before). 

I truly believe I’m here today, and still sane, because I spoke up – and I’ll keep doing so if it helps even one other person facing this devastating disease. 

I was lucky that I had family and friends to talk to.  Since my operation I have spent time as part of support groups at Orchid (a male cancer charity) and would like to thank them for their time and what they do for men affected by cancer. 

We really appreciate Steve for sharing his unique story.

Have you got your own place in the adidas Manchester Marathon? Join the Cancer Research UK team below.