Yoren Chetty survived testicular cancer and it was all thanks to early detection; now he is raising funds to help other men fight their battles.
Johannesburg, South Africa (03 November 2020) – Cancel your plans for 2020.
These are the words Yoren Chetty, a certified financial planner from Johannesburg, will remember forever. Not because it is a catchphrase being used to describe the disruption caused by the Coronavirus, but rather because it was delivered by his doctor moments before he was diagnosed with Stage 2 testicular cancer on 19 February 2020.
Fast forward to today, it would be hard to believe that Yoren, who turns 40 in November, has beaten cancer this year. One surgery and three rounds of chemotherapy later, Yoren is training to participate in the virtual New York City Marathon on 1 November and will run 42.2km in the streets of Johannesburg on behalf of Movember (www.za.movember.com), the leading global men’s health charity tackling prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Running 4km loops 10.5 times to complete the marathon, Yoren’s run will launch the Movember campaign, which will continue throughout the month of November.
As a Mo Bro for the campaign, Yoren is hoping to raise approximately R60 000 through the run, the proceeds of which will go towards funding survivorship and research programmes for prostate and testicular cancer, as well as mental health programmes. Movember looks at mental health through a male lens, focusing on prevention, early intervention and health promotion, working towards men taking action to be mentally well, while being supported by those around them.
“I got through the lowest points between chemotherapy rounds by using the power of visualisation. When I couldn’t walk or the pain was unbearable, I would close my eyes and imagine myself running down 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, competing in the race,” says Yoren.
Coincidentally, Yoren was just starting a new venture in Shanghai, China when the news of the Coronavirus started making headlines. One night in October 2019 he felt pain and swelling and discovered a lump, following which a visit to the doctor and a scan revealed a tumour. Yoren was scheduled to come to South Africa a week before China instated its lockdown, was lucky enough to get on a flight, and underwent surgery in Johannesburg in February 2020 to remove the tumour. A further scan revealed that there were enlarged lymph nodes in his kidney area, and chemotherapy was recommended.
“I received chemotherapy during the height of the nationwide lockdown Level 5. Although I was fearful of contracting COVID-19 given that my immunity was compromised, I was cautious and adhered to the regulations, such as social distancing and no visits from friends and family.”
This added another layer of complexity to the already stressful situation of dealing with cancer, one that could have been very lonely and challenging for his mental health. He overcame this by training himself to not let adversity get him down, adopting a positive mindset and refusing to give in to negativity.
“I was in isolation with my parents and did not see anyone other than my oncologist and the nursing staff. I did not even have my camera on during Zoom calls with friends, family and colleagues. I also chose to surround myself with things that gave me strength and made a conscious effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones,” says Yoren, who completed the last round of chemotherapy in May 2020.
He adds that the power of mental resilience is an incredibly important message not only to maintain mental health during the pandemic, but for any man battling prostate cancer, testicular cancer or any other health issue.
“Cancer can be beaten. Early detection saved my life, and it can save so many more men’s lives. I acted on a symptom. Men should listen more to their bodies and if anything feels unusual, get it checked out,” says Yoren.
Today he sees himself not as a victim, but as a survivor of cancer, and is encouraging every man to get tested.
“We have a long way to go until no man dies of cancer. Our sons, partners, fathers, brothers and friends are facing these challenges and we need your help,” says Garron Gsell, chief executive and founder of the Men’s Foundation, which manages the Movember campaign in South Africa under license from the Global Movember Foundation.
Movember encourages both men and woman to sign up for free on www.movember.com to support the awareness and education for the campaign, where Mo Bros and Sisters can commit to either Grow, Move or Host an event, or simply make a donation to someone who is. Any action in the name of Movember fights the health issues that are the leading causes of men’s fatalities in South Africa. All funds raised will go towards Changing the Face of Men’s Health in South Africa.
How to get involved
Help Change the Face of Men’s Health and sign up as a Mo Bro or Mo Sister to raise funds and awareness for Movember. Grow a Mo, host and attend an event, or MOVE and you can be the difference in a man’s life. Walk, run, cycle, swim or row. A little or a lot. Solo or in a team. It’s not about being the fittest or going the furthest. It’s about havin’ fun, doin’ good, by raising funds along the way.
For more info, visit www.za.movember.com or download the Movember app on your mobile device. Follow Movember on social media: @MovemberRSA on Twitter or Facebook/MovemberSouthAfrica.
by 