Don’t Give Up on Testicular Cancer

The Max Mallory Foundation podcast, hosted by Joyce Lofstrom, features testicular cancer survivor Jay Erickson, who was diagnosed in 2013 after persistent back pain and an abdominal lump. His widely metastasized disease was initially suspected to be sarcoma with a grim prognosis before blood markers confirmed testicular cancer, specifically rare, fast-growing choriocarcinoma with very high HCG and lung involvement. 

He describes a year of treatment including three months of intense chemotherapy, four major surgeries, and complications. He explains how Memorial Sloan Kettering facilitated immediate sperm banking, enabling him and his wife to have a daughter via IVF during treatment. 

Now, some 13 years later, Jay participates in three clinical trials. He explains how cancer reshaped his priorities, as well as his efforts to give back through Sloan Kettering’s Cycle for Survival fundraising, where he and his team have raised about $750,000. After writing a poetry book, Bloom, during his treatment, Jay now focuses on improving the patient experience and oncology care through his work in digital healthcare communications and marketing. 

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Intentional Living: A 10-Year Perspective on Surviving Testicular Cancer

Welcome to Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer, presented by the Max Mallory Foundation—a non-profit dedicated to educating young adults about testicular cancer in memory of Max Mallory.

In this episode, host Joyce Lofstrom (Max's mom and a fellow young adult cancer survivor) is joined by Matthew Tyler. Matthew was diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 22, just as he was starting his adult life and pursuing big goals.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The Early Signs: How Matthew first noticed discomfort and knew something wasn't right.
• Seeking Help: The crucial role his then-girlfriend (now wife, Addie) played in encouraging him to get a physical exam.
• 10 Years Cancer-Free: Reflections on his treatment journey, life over the last decade, and building a family—including celebrating one child and another on the way!

Matthew's faith has been a vital part of his life and his recovery from testicular cancer. 

As he says in the podcast, "I think more than anything, as human beings, we thrive in community and thrive in connection with other people. And it gives us peace to know that we're not the only person going through that. I think that's why life groups or Bible study groups are so helpful for individuals, and not even just for people that go to church."

Hear from a testicular cancer survivor who has one child and another on the way without fertility issues. He talks about his competitive spirit, hunting and sports interests, and living an intentional life.

• Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell to stay updated on future survivor stories and valuable resources!

Show Notes

00:00 Podcast Welcome

01:04 Meet Matthew Tyler

01:43 Diagnosis Shock

03:50 Surgery and Next Steps

05:16 Chemo Reality Check

06:30 Support and Remission

09:04 Faith Through Cancer

11:46 Choosing City of Hope

14:57 Care Experience Details

17:42 Biggest Treatment Challenge

21:04 Mental Health Swings

21:53 Why Share Now

22:04 Sharing His Testimony

22:42 News Story Surprise

24:04 Learning To Slow Down

27:16 Fertility After Chemo

28:48 Miscarriage And Healing

33:06 Preparing For Baby Two

33:23 Dad Life And Emma

35:50 Quickfire Favorites

36:33 Song With Meaning

38:05 Final Thanks And Mission

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Podcast Show Notes

Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable: Surviving Testicular Cancer at 43 with Resilience and Martial Arts 

We often hear that testicular cancer is a "young man's disease," but cancer doesn't always play by the rules. In this episode, we welcome Mark Vidic, a 43-year-old martial arts instructor from Toronto, who shares his powerful story of diagnosis, treatment, and an incredible life after cancer. 

Mark takes us through the early signs of unusual back and shoulder pain, plus the challenges of getting a proper diagnosis when multiple doctors thought he was too old for the disease. He discusses how his 30+ years of studying Combat Ju-Jitsu prepared him mentally and physically to face 90 days of intense chemotherapy, and how he turned his time in the hospital waiting rooms into a mission to encourage and uplift younger patients. 

Tune in to hear Mark's story of family support, a surprise natural pregnancy after fertility struggles, and his upcoming mission to give back to the hospital that saved his life. 

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• Listen to Your Body: Mark's earliest symptoms showed up as persistent lower back and shoulder pain before he ever felt a lump. If something feels off, don't wait—skip "Dr. Google" and seek professional medical advice immediately. 
• Build Your Resilience: Embracing physical and mental challenges before a crisis hits builds the "inner iron" needed to face difficulties like chemotherapy. 
• The Power of a Support System: From a partner who pushes you to keep moving to a community of fellow patients, nobody has to navigate a cancer diagnosis alone. 
• Beating the Odds: Despite fertility readings pointing to "subfertile" results post-chemo, Mark and his wife Christine are joyfully expecting a baby boy this September. 

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Learn more about the Foundation: The Max Mallory Foundation
• Mark's Favorite Song: "You Get What You Give" by The New Radicals 

Connect With Us:

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast directory. To listen to past episodes or learn how you can support our mission, visit us at www.maxmalloryfoundation.com/podcast

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It's Been 10 Years Since Losing Max to Testicular Cancer

Episode Summary

In this special episode, host Joyce Lofstrom is joined by the entire team behind the Max Mallory Foundation: Max's dad, Chuck Mallory (Treasurer), and son, John-Mark Mallory (Executive Director). Together, they reflect on a poignant marker of time: the upcoming 10th anniversary of losing Max to testicular cancer in May 2016. 

The family discusses the foundation's evolution since its start in 2017, its impactful scholarship partnership with Max's alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and how the "Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer" podcast serves as a cornerstone of outreach. They also dive into critical modern issues surrounding testicular cancer advocacy, including the gaping void in mental health resources for young survivors and how a new generation uses social media and AI to process medical fears. 

Episode Timeline & Chapters

• [00:00:00] – Introduction
  • Welcome to the podcast and introduction of the Max Mallory Foundation board members: Joyce, Chuck, and John-Mark. 
• [00:01:45] – Reflecting on the 10-Year Marker
  • The family shares what is on their minds as they approach a decade without Max, the surreal nature of passing time, and how sibling grief and parental healing change over a decade. 
• [00:03:45] – Chuck's Writing & Healing Journey
  • Chuck shares a personal update on emotionally processing his grief and his current efforts to write about his years with Max. 
• [00:07:15] – The Roots of the Max Mallory Foundation
  • The family formally established the private family foundation in 2017 to carry on Max's legacy. 
• [00:08:45] – Honoring Max Through Media Arts & The MAGD Scholarship
  • A look at the foundation's scholarship program and funding for the Media Arts and Game Development (MAGD) festival at UW-Whitewater. They discuss the use of game design for educational cancer journeys. 
• [00:11:15] – Milestones of the Podcast & The Mental Health Gap
  • Celebrating nearly 80 live episodes and identifying a critical gap in cancer care: why the medical community frequently overlooks the psychological and mental health needs of young cancer survivors. 
• [00:14:50] – The Changing Landscape of Advocacy & Social Media
  • How the 20-to-30 age demographic uses Reddit, AI, and social media to express medical anxiety. The family addresses why outreach must pivot from traditional school visits to digital spaces. 
• [00:18:00] – Overcoming the Stigma of Men's Health
  • A discussion on why young men delay going to the doctor out of fear, a lack of preventative screening advice from pediatricians, and learning from the success of breast cancer awareness campaigns. 
• [00:21:30] – Looking Ahead to the Next 10 Years
  • Final thoughts from Joyce, Chuck, and John-Mark on carrying forward Max's mantra: "Never give up."  

Key Takeaways from This Episode

• Grief is a Marker, Not a Milestone: Passing a decade without a loved one isn't a traditional milestone to celebrate, but rather a profound marker of time to celebrate a life well-lived. 
• Mental Health is Part of Survivorship: Medical teams excel at testing numbers and treating tumors, but there remains a massive systemic gap in checking on a survivor's mental health post-treatment. 
• Advocacy Must Meet Youth Where They Are: Young men today turn to online forums like Reddit or AI tools rather than their immediate circles when processing potential cancer symptoms. Awareness campaigns must actively occupy these digital spaces. 
• Break the Silence Early: Pediatricians and parents need to explicitly normalize testicular self-exams for young men around ages 12 and 13 to catch anomalies early and strip away the fear-induced stigma of seeking help. 

Connect & Support

• Visit Our Website: Max Mallory Foundation  
• Listen to Past Episodes: Catch up on our library of 80+ episodes featuring survivors, caregivers, and leading cancer researchers. 
• Make a Donation: Support the MAGD Scholarship and our ongoing testicular cancer awareness initiatives by clicking here. 
• Subscribe: Please subscribe to Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer on your favorite podcast directory so you never miss an episode!  

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If you can please support our nonprofit through Patreon. 

Mason Moore survived testicular cancer three times, with his first diagnosis in 2003, just two weeks before his wedding. He made the wedding as planned and became a vocal advocate for men's health and men taking responsibility for their health. The cancer returned in 2018 with a nodule in his right lung.

And again, in 2019, in the same lung, Mason will share the details of these diagnoses, which were testicular cancer. He continues to give back to the cancer community as a testicular cancer survivor and is now seven years cancer-free. 

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Patrick Frank values humor when dealing with testicular cancer. As he shared in this podcast, he threw a Farewell to Righty Party the night before his orchiectomy in 2021. Now, five years later, he's preparing to run the London Marathon on April 26.

His successful video production company, Patchbay Media, operates with offices in London and Washington, D.C.

He's a father of two boys, a marathon runner, and a book author, so he has plenty to share. He grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and now lives in London, a move made for his wife's job, and a relocation he relishes as a runner.

He shares his testicular cancer story and explains why in the podcast.

 "Someone's going to know somebody who's going to get this diagnosis, and I hope that they think of me. Like someone's brother-in-law, someone's cousin. Someone's coworker, and it's just like, oh yeah. Like, there's that guy I'm friends with on Facebook, or there's this guy I went to high school with, like, whatever it is. My goal is just to be that person."

Listen to this episode of Don't Give Up on Testiclar Cancer from the Max Mallory Foundation.  

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Brian Sluga started running in sixth grade. His college track team didn't qualify for the national finals, so he went home, took a long shower, and discovered a lump on his testicle. He told his dad, who stopped mowing the yard and took Brian to their family doctor near Peoria, Illinois. 

After examining him, this doctor sent him to a urologist down the hall, who diagnosed testicular cancer. Sixteen hours later, Brian's surgeon removed the testicle. Because the cancer spread to his lymph nodes, Brian also had the RPLND surgery followed by regular blood tests and scans to monitor a possible recurrence, which did not happen.

Fast forward some 40 years to 2026. Brian's new book, "The Shriek I Do Remember," will be released on February 8. It's about his testicular cancer journey and other stories about his life. 

From Brian Sluga's website, here is a look at the new book. "The Shriek I Do Remember is a story of hope. It'sthe story of a survivor, as Brian Sluga shares how, as a young college athlete, he found a lump. He had no idea what it was or how it would change his life."  Look for it on February 8.

Enjoy this episode of Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer to learn more about Brian Sluga, his testicular cancer story, and his writing. It comes to you from the Max Mallory Foundation.

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Everyone touched by cancer knows treatments vary depending on the type of cancer. Now, with precision medicine for some cancers, treatments can be tailored to that cancer.

In this podcast, Dr. James Hamrick, MD, MPH, explains what precision medicine means for cancer patients and updates listeners on developments in testicular cancer treatments.

Dr. Hamrick is the chairman of the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance, known as Caris POA at Caris Life Sciences. He leads a global network of top cancer centers and research institutions dedicated to advancing precision oncology and biomarker-driven research, and he will tell us all about it.

Dr. Hamrick is board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology. He earned his MD and MPH in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina and completed his residency and fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

Now - back to precision medicine. Here's what Dr. Hamrick explains in the podcast.

00:09:55
"When we treat a cancer, it's all about hitting the cancer, the bad part, and not hurting the rest of the person. And so the more we understand the targets we should be hitting in these tumors, the better we can design treatments that hit those targets and leave the rest of the cells in a person's body alone.

"What does that mean?

"It means fewer side effects, so more effectiveness. So when you hear precision medicine, think about this: this is where my doctor is not just treating me for cancer. Not just treating me for lung cancer, but is working to understand exactly what is driving my cancer and how can we best target that so I have the best outcome, meaning we can kill those cancer cells, right?

"And the fewest side effects. That's really precision oncology. Biomarkers bio. We all know from high school biology class that the life sciences markers are the targets. So these are the targets that we can now use at Caris and other vendors. We can say, hey, that's the problem here.

"It's not just one testicular cell that went bad; it's one that has this certain molecular profile. So I tell patients: You should ask your doctors, Hey, what biomarkers do we care about? What is important? What are we targeting? What's valuable here?

"And that's part of becoming fluent in the language of your cancer, which, as many caregivers know, is really important."

Dr. Hamrick talks more about testicular cancer and the need to find genetic biomarkers for it. He explains that and related research about testicular and other types of cancer in this episode of Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer from the Max Mallory Foundation.

Links:
Caris Precision Oncology Alliance - Caris POA
https://www.carislifesciences.com/partners/caris-precision-oncology-alliance/

James Hamrick, MD, MPH
https://www.carislifesciences.com/bio/james-hamrick-md-mph/

Max Mallory Foundation
https://www.maxmalloryfoundation.com

Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer podcast
https://www.maxmalloryfoundation.com/podcast

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Scott Capozza, PT, MSPT, is a board-certified physical therapist who specializes in oncology at Yale Cancer Center.

More than 20 years ago, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer while in graduate school at age 22. As he explained in an article about his cancer journey, “Suddenly I had to schedule an orchiectomy, a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, and two cycles of chemotherapy around lectures, laboratory work, and practical exams.”

Scott shares his experiences with testicular cancer then and now, along with what he's doing to support cancer patients and survivors through physical therapy.  

Patient advocacy: Recently, as a patient advocate and testicular cancer survivor, Scott has spoken at conferences to share his lived experiences. He explains this role in the podcast.

"It almost is our responsibility or our obligation to get in front of these medical providers to say, you have to listen to your patients. You have to make these shared decisions with your patient. You can't blindly take the shotgun approach, give the treatment, and be done with it. You have to factor in quality of life. You have to factor in who that person is..."

Hear more from Scott Capozza about his work as an oncology-focused physical therapist, father, patient advocate, and testicular cancer survivor in this episode of Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer from the Max Mallory Foundation. 

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To our listeners: Joyce Lofstrom recorded this conversation with testicular cancer survivor Andrew Barrow before the month of Movember. Now, with this month of awareness for men's health in full force, know that the advertising and fundraising efforts Andrew describes in the podcast were active before Movember began and continue throughout the month. 

Andrew Barrow and Joyce Lofstrom open this podcast with a discussion about Andrew's advertising business, Revenue Arc. Keep listening as the story segues to his testicular cancer story.

In fact, testicular cancer doesn't run in Andrew Barrow's family. However, cancer, specifically lymphoma and melanoma, took his grandmother's life. 

As a kid, Andrew watched Tom Green's MTV documentary on testicular cancer,  where Tom shared his testicular cancer story.  

"I was absolutely fascinated by it because I had never heard of testicular cancer. I was probably in middle school at the time, and this blew me away. He had this song that got stuck in my head. The main hook of the song is, 'Check your balls, kids, check them every day.'

"And I did. I was scared to death by that moment. I did this routine every day for my entire life, thinking it would never happen to me. And then one day I found a lump."  

He was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, and did not need follow-up treatment after the orchiectomy. He and his wife had one child, and after the surgery, they became pregnant and welcomed their second child.

Andrew shares more about his testicular cancer journey, his business, and his philosophy on life: live in the moment, take care of yourself, and enjoy life to the fullest now. 

Enjoy this episode and others of Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer from the Max Mallory Foundation.

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