‘Get it checked out:’ New Hanover firefighter shares his battle with testicular cancer

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. The cancer affects thousands of men each year, but in the vast majority of cases, is treatable if detected early. 

“Don’t shy away from it, just take it head on and go get it checked out,” that’s the advice from New Hanover County Firefighter David Morgan, who noticed a small lump while showering back in October 2023. 

“I noticed something was a little off, I just decided to keep an eye on it, see if it got better,” he said.  

At the time, Morgan thought it might just be a bruise. It wasn’t until his doctor ran tests four months later that he learned he had testicular cancer. 

The diagnosis caught him off guard.  

“Most people think cancer you think older people, so it was definitely a surprise,” Morgan said. 

Thankfully, Morgan caught the tumor early and was back to fighting fires less than a month later.  

“They set me up for surgery on a Wednesday to remove the tumor and then I was back to work two weeks after that,” he said. 

Doctor Eric Scofield with Novant Health’s Cancer Institute said testicular cancer is most common in men between the ages of 15 and 35.  

He noted the disease is more common in men with a history of an undescended testicle. Studies have also linked heavy marijuana use to an increased risk.   

Scofield recommends regular self-exams, looking for lumps or changes, and when it doubt—let a doctor check it out.  

He said around 98 hundred men are diagnosed each year.  

“Good news with testicular cancer is there are far fewer deaths because modern treatments are very effective and even in advance stages, it’s still curable,” Scofield explained. 

For Morgan, the 34-year-old hopes his story will inspire more young men to take their health seriously.  

“You know, if it helps one other person, it will be worth it,” he said. 

Morgan also noted that firefighters face higher levels of cancer than the general population.  

He was among several firefighters in his local union to advocate for free cancer screenings, which New Hanover County now offers to all its firefighters.