Patient Story ID: 1420394

Background

Despite being the most common cancer in men aged 15-44, testicular cancer (TC) is not as widely discussed as other cancers. As a survivor of stage 2b TC with a background in media production, I have combined my talents and experiences to create a podcast called “It Takes Balls” to give patients, survivors, and medical providers a place to share stories and discuss important topics that relate to the disease. It is important for the overall well-being of patients and survivors to understand that they are not alone. Starting the podcast through the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation (TCAF) was something I wanted to do to spread awareness and also challenge myself to learn more about the disease so that I can be a better advocate and manage my own issues in survivorship.

Approach

Patient/survivor interviewees are sourced by being contacted via social media or submitting an application to be a guest via the TCAF website. Provider interviewees have been sourced from existing relationships with TCAF. Interviews are conducted over Zoom. Video episodes are posted to YouTube and audio-only episodes are hosted on Anchor and distributed to Apple, Google, Spotify, and more. New episodes are shared on TCAF’s social media channels and through email blast with the link to apply.

Maintenance

TC is still not widely discussed in the public forum, but “It Takes Balls” is working to change that. The listenership of the podcast has grown slowly but steadily since launch. Facilitating the sharing of stories has resonated not only with survivors, but with caregivers as well. One mother who found the podcast shared in a direct message, “I recently found your podcast and sent the info to [my son]. He hardly talks about it, but I am glad there are resources for him.”

In 2022, “It Takes Balls” put out 564 minutes of content, more than 86% of other creators in the Health & Fitness category, according to the host platform Anchor.

“It Takes Balls” was heard by listeners in 7 countries with the top 5 being the U.S., Australia, Ireland, UK, and Italy.

Since launch, “It Takes Balls” has garnered over 2,300 listens, averaging 69 listens per episode. Three of the current top 10 episodes are interviews with medical providers discussing various TC-specific topics.

Quality of Life

The existence of a podcast focused on TC has been beneficial for survivors and caregivers. It has also been beneficial to me to be able to take my own experiences and relate to others who have been through the same thing. The steady growth of the niche grassroots podcast indicates that there is an audience of patients, survivors, and caregivers who are looking for resources to help guide them through their own journeys.