A local designer is putting a positive spin on his experience with testicular cancer in the hopes he can spread the word about the disease.
Using the resources at his disposal — namely the graphic and web design side of his company Meade Design Group — Ivan Meade has created a campaign, Save Those Nuts, whose goal it is to encourage men to give themselves regular checkups to increase the chances of early diagnosis.
“I wanted to use humour because if it’s done too seriously, people may back away and not read it,” Meade says. “It’s a very touchy subject. Many men who have gone through testicular cancer are embarrassed and don’t want to talk about it.”
Meade was diagnosed with stage III-B testicular cancer in the summer of 2011 at the age of 37. Although there were many resources for cancer patients, Ivan struggled to find information on his particular condition. As he talked to his peers about his diagnosis, he was also shocked to learn none of them, like himself, had been educated about regular checkup procedures.
“Had I known more about preventive measures and the early signs of detection, I would have acted on my symptoms sooner and could have avoided the spread of the disease within my own body,” Meade says. “My prognosis is much better now, and although I am still fighting, I am confident that the great team at the BC Cancer agency are keeping me healthy and looking out for my best interests.”
So far, the campaign is focusing on outreach, via information cards and posters, which can be found at other local businesses and storefronts listed on the website www.savethosenuts.com.
April is Testicular Cancer awareness month and Meade has partnered with Testicular Cancer Canada, based in Toronto, to spread word of their work to the West Coast and in the hope that the campaign can be informative and encouraging for anyone who finds himself up against this disease. According to Testicular Cancer Canada, testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men 15-35 years old.
The website does include a donation link, where you can make your own donation.
“Our goal is to increase awareness and raise enough money to purchase an ad campaign for Testicular Cancer Canada with BC Transit,” Meade says.
