Man becomes father after having four inches of penis amputated

He was diagnosed with penile cancer in 2019

Steven Hamill feared the worst when he was originally diagnosed with penile cancer but after undergoing a partial penectomy he's now in remission.

The 33-year-old said he was 'really lucky' that he was well-endowed before the op as he's still able to have sex - even becoming a dad in 2022.

Now, seven years on from his diagnosis, the single food industry worker admits he struggles when to reveal his medical history to a prospective partner.

He's now sharing his story to encourage men to get anything unusual checked out straight away.

Steven, from Cheshire, said: "When I put in the lads' group chat about my cancer diagnosis, one of them changed my nickname to Stumpy and I am still called this.

"I was rather well endowed beforehand so I've now been brought down to like the average, so around four inches.

"I had four inches in full removed so it dropped me down to around four inches. So it [my penis] is still fully functional and working.

"I was really lucky that I was well endowed because if I was average I would have gone down to about one or two inches and that functionality isn't really there anymore.

"It changes from person to person when I tell dates about my surgery. Sometimes I make a joke about it instantly.

"It's never been an issue with anyone I've dated but it's more me adapting and learning new things.

"It's more me adapting as I've got a whole new tool to figure out how to function because it's completely different.

"When it comes to intimacy, sometimes I get in my head and think 'she's going to think it [my penis] looks really weird'. I get self conscious all the time.

"I was told I would never have kids because the surgery happened on my urethra, and I now have a four-year-old boy.

"Everything is still functional and I can still have kids."

At the age of just 26, Steven was diagnosed with penile cancer in April 2019 after suffering with excruciating pain, a swollen penis head and a 'death' smell coming from his privates.

Steven claims his first warning sign was when he noticed the head of his penis had ballooned to four times its usual size.

When he went to the doctors to get it checked out in March 2019, he claims it was dismissed as an infection called balanitis and was given steroid cream.

Over the next month, Steven says he began to experience a pain in his privates like someone 'poking a needle into the end of his penis.'

He says he also developed a 'death' smell coming from his penis that 'followed him around' and that other people could smell.

When he passed out in his brother's car and woke up in a pool of blood, Steven was rushed to A&E.

He was then transferred to a specialist unit at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester where he was diagnosed with penile cancer in April 2019.

There, he underwent a circumcision before having 'half' of his penis removed before being told he was cancer free in July 2019.

Steven said: "I put steroid cream on it for two weeks solidly and there was no change.

"I went back to the doctors two weeks later and he said it was definitely balanitis.

"But by this point I was in so much pain. It felt like someone was poking a needle into the end of my penis.

"The only way I could get a little bit of pain-free time was in the bathroom or I'd be rocking on the floor.

"After this, the smell started. I would describe this smell as death. The smell followed me round and it was awful and other people could smell it.

"I went back to the doctors. I had every sign and symptom of penile cancer and the doctor agreed but he said it 'couldn't be cancer' as I was only 26."

Steven is now raising awareness of his diagnosis to urge men to get any unusual symptoms checked out as cancer can strike at any age.

Steven said: "It took me years to adapt because you put yourself in the darkest place ever.

"Every time I went to bed I would think, 'is this the night I'm going to die? Will I see next week? Should I make plans for next week?'

"I get phantom pain now and again, which makes me worry that it's coming back.

"I have vivid dreams about going through it all and being told I have cancer.

"I think it was so much to go through in five months and it was such a rollercoaster of emotions it felt like years.

"The best advice I could give would be if anything doesn't feel right, don't be embarrassed and see if it goes away. Reach out, even if it's to me online, and I could guide you, but 100% reach out and don't leave it too late."