Best foot forward for Jack
After support from the Teenage Cancer Trust, it’s a case of...
LOUGHBOROUGH University student, Jack Brown, was only 16 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2020.
The now 20-year-old will be running the London Marathon to fundraise for Teenage Cancer Trust, who supported him through his ordeal, and is encouraging others to consider running for the charity next year.
Jack is currently in his first year of his Marketing and Business Management degree at Loughborough, and is playing rugby league for the university, after receiving cancer treatment throughout sixth form.
He said: “During treatment I kept thinking about what was next. I knew I wanted to go to university but worried about getting in after missing so much of school for treatment. I’m so glad I’m here now and doing what I enjoy. Doctors had told me due to some of the complications with treatment and the impact on my lungs that they’d be surprised if I was ever able to properly compete in sport again. To be sat here as a semi-professional rugby player, a few weeks away from running the London Marathon fills me with immense pride. It just shows you can do anything that you set your mind to.”
Jack was diagnosed in 2020, following finding a lump in his testicle and having aches and pains in his groin.
Talking about his experience, Jack said: “I started to think something was wrong with me within a couple of weeks of going into lockdown in March 2020. Stupidly, I came up with excuses as to what the lump, aches and pains were and didn’t say anything until the end of May.
“I went to the doctors and got a scan the next day because the hospitals were only dealing with urgent cases because of Covid-19. The scan confirmed I had testicular cancer and I had surgery the following week.”
Jack is currently living in Loughborough for university, but is originally from Maidstone in Kent, so received his treatment on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
He was supported by Sarah, Teenage Cancer Trust’s Teenage and Young Adult Clinical Liaison Nurse Specialist in West Kent throughout his treatment.
Jack continued: “I started my chemo in July and had four rounds of treatment up until October. Sarah helped liaise with my school about different things for me. When I had my UCAS exams, I told her I was feeling stressed out. I had missed a third of the year and I was worried it would reflect on my grades. I didn’t want to use my illness as an excuse, but I felt I was naturally at a disadvantage. She told me it wasn’t an excuse and she spoke to the school for me. I ended up getting 3 As in my internal UCAS exams.
“When I started applying for uni, I was worried whether the time I had off school
would affect that. Sarah spoke to the school again for me and asked if they needed any help with the references. I was looking at Loughborough, Warwick and Exeter. They were all to do Marketing with Business Management, but Loughborough had the added benefit that they specialise in sport, and I’d be able to continue playing rugby.
“Unfortunately, I had to have an operation just before my exams. I got the same dispensation as if I had a cold; they didn’t take the fact that I had cancer into account. I didn’t get the grades I wanted so I had to take a year out, but I managed to do some rugby coaching.”
After three months of chemotherapy and two operations, Jack was given the all clear. He said: “It was definitely the toughest period of my life. It came off the back of the second toughest period in my life when I’d broken my leg and couldn’t play rugby. I’d got over that mountain, and I’d got back into training, so it was quite frustrating. I feel like I had beaten one challenge, and I was presented with an even bigger challenge.
“I’m now loving my time at uni, meeting new friends and making some great memories. The uni have been fantastic in their support for helping with anything that I need. Also, even after my treatment, Sarah was still there for me. She still texts me regularly to see how I am getting on.”
Jack is determined to give back and is one of over 350 people running the 2024 TCS London Marathon for Teenage Cancer Trust. Together, the runners are expected to raise almost £1million, which could pay for the cost of all Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinators for a year.
Jack said: “During treatment, I didn’t have the energy to walk. After my cancer treatment, I started running but it was just to get my fitness back. I’ve aways wanted to run a marathon.
Two years after having cancer, I applied for a ballot place for the London Marathon late one night. I got an email a few days later to say that I was in, and I had a mixture of nerves and excitement.
“After finding out in June 2023, I was running a lot over the summer. But during my first university game of rugby, I did my MCL, and I couldn’t run or play rugby for three months. In January 2024 it felt OK, and I started to do a bit more.
“It has impacted my training schedule. I went in with a goal of completing it in just over four hours. I don’t think I’ll hit that now. It’s not the end of the world, the most important thing is raising money, so I just want to get round the course.”
Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity providing specialist nursing and emotional support to young people with cancer, and rely on voluntary donations to fund their work.
He continued: “Picking Teenage Cancer Trust was a really easy decision. I’ve seen the impact they make first hand and I know the difference fundraising makes. It would have been so much harder to go through treatment without Sarah from Teenage Cancer Trust. She does amazing work with everyone’s family and friends too.
“The person with cancer is struggling, but so are their family and friends.
“I’ve hit my £2,000 fundraising goal already, so I’ll probably extend my target. I want to say thank you so much to everyone who donated or shared this campaign, I’m incredibly grateful.
“If you have a space to run the London Marathon, but don’t know who to run for, have a look at the work that Teenage Cancer Trust do and the impact they make.
“They help children and young adults faced with some of the worst challenges they can face. They also support families and support young people post-treatment.”
“I’ve seen the impact they make first hand and I know the difference fundraising makes.”
Jack Brown