In this episode of It Takes Balls, Luke Alter, an assistant state attorney and testicular cancer survivor, shares his raw, powerful story of being misled and eventually forced to fight for his life.

At just 27, Luke went from grappling on the jiu-jitsu mats to confronting a swollen testicle assumed to be a sports injury. After weeks of worsening symptoms and a urologist brushing him off, he pushed for more answers, only to hear the life-altering diagnosis.

What followed was a whirlwind of scans, cross-country travel, and life-changing decisions. Luke opens up about going through four rounds of EP chemo, how a delayed diagnosis led to Stage IIIB disease, and the emotional toll of facing mortality at such a young age. He talks honestly about fear, depression, hair loss, and finding light through friends, family, Reddit threads, and complete strangers who showed up when he needed it most.

Luke's story is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring, and ultimately a testament to the power of self-advocacy, community, and choosing hope when the odds feel overwhelming.

Join The Ball Room:

https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/theballroom

Want to be a guest? Apply here:

https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/it-takes-balls-submissions

Follow Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation:

⁠https://www.testescancer.org

https://www.twitter.com/testescancer⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/testescancer

https://www.facebook.com/tca.org

Follow Steven Crocker:

https://www.twitter.com/stevencrocker

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https://www.facebook.com/steven.crocker2

Connect with Luke:

https://www.instagram.com/lukeduke59/

https://www.facebook.com/luke.altar

Theme song: No Time Like Now - Tom Willner www.tomwillner.com