A DAD-TO-BE died of testicular cancer hours after collapsing – despite having no symptoms at all.
Michael Hall passed away at the age of 27 just days before his daughter was born after he collapsed at home.
The Newcastle United fan was rushed to South Tyneside District Hospital on May 27, where he was treated for a pulmonary embolism, but his family were forced to switch-off his life-support machine only one day later.
Medics soon discovered in a post-mortem that Michael had testicular cancer and was among the 10 per cent of cancer patients who do not show any signs of the disease until it kills them.
His devastated girlfriend Amy Day gave birth to the couple's daughter Chloe Grace on what would have been Michael's 28th birthday.
Michael's heartbroken cousin Caroline Hall has since shared his story in a bid to raise awareness of the signs the family missed.
She said: "There's been a lot of sadness, and we're still very cut up by it. We're a very close-knit family, and we have helped each other a lot.
"We're all still heartbroken.
"Michael had the most laidback personality. He was very kind-hearted, funny, and adored his family.
"He loved his football and Newcastle United was his team.
“Amy completely changed his life. He adored Amelia, and he was over the moon when he found out Amy was pregnant."
Michael had complained of back pain and sickness before his death but brushed it off as nothing serious.
He had shown no symptoms on the day he collapsed.
What are the symptoms of testicular cancer?
Despite testicular cancer being the most common form of cancer in young men, less than a third of guys check their balls for signs.
In the UK, around 2,200 men are diagnosed each year.
The most common sign is a lump or swelling on one of your testicles, which is normally about the size of a pea.
Not all testicular lumps are cancerous, while only four per cent of scrotal lumps are, but you should still always get your GP to take a look.
The other four main symptoms include:
- A dull ache or sharp pain in the testicles and scrotum
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- A difference in the texture or increase in firmness of the testicle
- A difference between one testicle and the other
Caroline added: "It was very quick and shocking. I just thought he had some something daft and broken something.
"I didn't for a second think it was going to be serious.
“In hindsight, the bad back and him being sick were the indicators now we know what we were looking for.
"He didn't have any pain, there were no warning signs. The last thing that was on our minds when we got the coroner's report back was testicular cancer."
He didn't have any pain, there were no warning signs. The last thing that was on our minds when we got the coroner's report back was testicular cancer.
Michael was laid to rest in an emotional service at South Shields Crematorium on June 13.
Three days later, Amy gave birth to the couple's daughter Chloe Grace at Sunderland Royal Hospital .
Friends have rallied to provide support in the wake of the tragedy, organising a fundraising football match in Michael's memory at Harton and Westoe Welfare sports club in South Shields on September 1.
While they are fundraising to support Amy and her two daughters, Michael's family are also running a raffle on behalf of Cancer Research UK.
Caroline said: “The fundraising idea came from his friends.
"They had been together one night, and one of them suggested having a football match to raise money to help Amy.
"Now the cause of death has come out, we thought men need to know more about this.
"We just want nobody else to experience this.”
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in young men.
It is normally characterised by a lump or swelling on one of your testicles, the male sex organs which produce sperm and testosterone.
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