Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A WARNING TO
Richard Stamp is a stark reminder to men across the country why they need to keep on top of their tackle. He suffered months of pain but, like many men, he put off seeking medical attention and buried his head in the sand, believing “everything would be all right in the end”.
But that decision cost him dearly as he ended up losing his penis after being diagnosed with cancer in 2018. His relationship also suffered and he lost his girlfriend.
Doctors had to amputate most of the 54-year-old’s organ to save his life.
Now Richard, who works in the entertainment industry, has let cameras into his home as he embarks on a year-long quest to discover ways he can rebuild it, from stem cell growth to reconstruction.
In the Channel 5 documentary Shopping For A New Penis, the cameras capture the heartbreaking moment he discusses his struggles with his ex-partner, Angie. Richard, who has a son and daughter from a previous relationship, says: “Angie and I were together for two years before my cancer was discovered.”
He admits he was avoiding sex before his diagnosis as it caused him pain. “It built up over time. Why I wasn’t having penetration was because it really hurt, so I started feeling more vulnerable. Then I just didn’t want to do that at all.”
During a holiday in Cambodia, Richard felt a lump on his penis, but even then he waited two months to go to the doctor. He was finally diagnosed in Australia, where he was working at the time. The medic, Dr Cox, told him he was going to have to have his entire penis amputated.
“I met this frightening doctor who, very starkly, said: ‘Your c**k’s going to come off,’” explains Richard, who is from Tooting, South London.
“He showed me a model of a c**k, like I was some sort of a farm animal. It was so cold. All that went through my mind was panic.
“Everything was spinning around – that’s the worst moment of my lifetime.”
Richard flew home for a second opinion and soon discovered that his local hospital, St George’s in
CANCER of the penis affects around 630 men every year in the UK.
If caught early, around 70% of those diagnosed with it will survive. It mostly affects men in their 60s.
Symptoms include: Lumps, changes in colour, irregular marks or lesions, and unexplained pain.