Second Opinion
Byron's regular doctor had already advised him to assume the pain in his abdomen was from muscle strain.
He required a second opinion nevertheless because things were suddenly becoming worse. He realized he had entered uncharted waters when the doctor advised him to take a pregnancy test. What precisely did they believe was taking place with him?
Young And Carefree
Byron Geldard had just finished high school. The budding stand-up comedian from Cambridgeshire, UK, decided to celebrate the milestone with a trip to Kavos, Greece, with his friends.
But when the 18-year-old returned, he started to feel a strange pain in his abdomen. The youngster was reluctant to go to the doctor, but eventually, he couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Nothing To Worry About
“I've been getting this weird pain on and off,” explained Byron. After he’d sucked up the courage to get checked out, Byron was told by his family doctor that it was likely muscle strain from doing too much at the gym ahead of his summer vacation.
But when the pain grew worse, Byron decided to get a second opinion. Only this time, the new doctor found something concerning.
The Lump
The doctor discovered a lump in Byron’s abdomen. The young high school graduate’s mind had been somewhat put at ease by the first doctor, but now his worst nightmares had been realized.
Byron was referred to a specialist to get a clearer picture of what was going on. He was scared, but there had no way of knowing then how strange this experience was going to get.
Closer Look
Byron was familiar with the ultrasound scan, having seen a documentary about the early stages of pregnancy on TV a few weeks before.
So although he was nervous about what the doctors were going to say, the aspiring comedian saw the funny side of going through the same procedure as an expectant mother. Until things took a turn for the surreal.
What To Expect
“Have you ever taken a pregnancy test?” the doctor asked. This sounded more like one of Byron’s stand-up routines than a genuine question asked by a medical professional.
Dumbfounded, Byron wasn’t even able to come up with a funny answer to the bizarre question. And when he realized the doctor was deadly serious, he struggled to see the funny side at all.
Surprising Results
The doctors explained the reason they wanted him to take the pregnancy test, but Byron still had a hard time believing it. A few months ago he was hitting the hottest nightspots in Kavos with his friends, and now here he was peeing on a stick.
Was this really happening? Byron took a deep breath and looked at the test.
Positive Test
The pregnancy test came back positive. Byron was speechless, but the doctor was glad that although things didn’t look good for the young man, at least it proved his hypothesis about what was going on with him.
Byron had a long and daunting road ahead of him. The doctor sat him down and calmly explained his full diagnosis.
Missing Piece
Byron was told he had a cancerous tumor. Previously, doctors couldn’t work out the origin of the disease, but the pregnancy test proved pivotal in their diagnosis.
It was clear the cancer had spread to Byron’s lungs, but they didn’t have the complete picture until he agreed to the test. And it wasn’t easy news for Byron to hear.
Grave Diagnosis
Byron had stage-four testicular cancer. The experts weren’t sure exactly what type of cancer Byron was suffering from until the pregnancy test came back positive.
“I could have had four or five different types,“ Byron explained. But the doctor from the Cambridge Teenage Cancer trust’s unorthodox method quickly detected it. And the reason why it works is fascinating.
Quick Thinking
Testicular cancer causes the production of the same hCG hormone that the placenta produces in a pregnant woman.
So the doctor’s inexpensive method actually detected Byron’s cancer fast, so they could get on with the correct course of treatment. But despite all this, Byron had more drama in his life that he couldn’t shake from his mind.
Light At The End
The day the doctors gave Byron the diagnosis was the very day before the student was set to receive his end of school exam results that would determine his options for the future.
“There I was with a positive pregnancy test and something growing inside of me. I thought I was going to end up in a documentary!” But soon after Byron began his treatment, he got some very different news.
Winning The Battle
Seven-months of chemotherapy later, Byron was told the tumors were beginning to shrink. He was winning the battle and he started to have hope for his future again.
The promising results meant Byron was eligible for surgery to remove the tumors once and for all. Now 19, Byron couldn’t believe there was a chance he was going to make it through this.
All Clear
Tumors were removed from Byron’s abdomen, a testicle, and the lymphatic system behind his stomach. The doctors were happy with the way the surgery went, but they still needed to be sure they were successful in completely removing the malignant lumps.
The young man should have had his mind on dating, his first car, and university, but all he could think about was getting the all-clear. Then he got the phone call.
Bright Outlook
Byron was officially cancer-free! “Cancer is no longer a death sentence, and I would like to spread that message,” Byron announced optimistically. And similar to the way his cancer was detected, he has a slightly out-of-the-ordinary way of getting the word out.
"I'm doing stand up comedy about testicular cancer, as I think people need to be educated about it more.” You’ve got to admire his capacity for looking on the bright side!
A Brave Young Man
Byron is currently working as an Experienced Ambassador. He has a demonstrated history of working with the non-profit organization management industry. He is also skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Event Planning, Microsoft Excel, Customer Service, and Microsoft Word. He is a steadfast young man who has a strong sense of community and is currently working as a social services professional.
After finishing Highschool, Byron went on to study at the Anglia Ruskin University. He has an undergraduate degree in Criminology.
The Byronator
Byron became very popular in the Theatre world at the St. Ives Youth Theatre. He was given the nickname the “Byronator”, for fighting and beating cancer. Two young lads heading up the youth activities at the St. Ives Youth Theatre started a popular YouTube Show. It’s called Burke and Bottley, and one of their guests were Byron.
They wanted to catch up with him after his struggle with cancer. Many of his fans were interested to know what he was up to after graduating high school.
A Budding Actor
The jovial Byron was happy to be on the show. He shared a few memories of how he began his performance career. He was 13 years old when he went to the Fringe Theatre for the first time. He just went on a normal school trip but it made him realize his passion for acting.
He was grateful to perform there at such a young age.
A Paradox
His favorite production was the “Lord of The Flies”. It’s about a group of boys stranded on an island. They have to learn how to cope with survival and stay alive. This story resonated with his own fight against cancer and his struggle to fight the disease.
He won against all odds because he had a whole life to look forward to.
Young Stages
The Brave boy also spoke about the good times he had with his friends Jonathan and Andrew on their Theatre trips. He mentioned one specific occasion where it was his first time going on the coach. It was also the first time he had wine.
Needless to say, he got quite ill and made their trip all the more adventurous.
Laughs And Giggles
To make the outing even funnier. They were treated by a play whose lead protagonist had Alan Partridge’s style of acting. This made all the children laugh and taught them how to adapt their own style to the art of performance.
There were a few other actors and actresses that had a profound effect on the young Byron. The infamous Maggie is one of them. She is a Scottish woman, with a lovely accent. The boys picked up a lot of characteristics from her which helped their acting.
The Dance
Byron became quite popular amongst the Theatre youth in London. His peers even made a song about him after nicknamed the “Byronator”. It had a catchy tune as well as a cool dance step called “The Switch”. With “The Switch”, you have to move your legs out in tune with the beat. It was a riot.
Byron’s fans loved it and he used his signature move in his first Cabaret Performance. Many people tried to imitate his moves but they could never get it right.
Byron Today
Byron Geldard is currently working for a charity doing fundraising in London and does a bit of stand-up comedy. He still has a passion for performance and many people still remember his strange story as a teenager.
We are proud that he could find humor in his struggle. He learned to look at the bright side of life.
His Strange Story
Byron became famous because of the pregnancy test issued to test if she had testicular cancer. The pregnancy test came back positive This meant that he did have an abnormally high concentration of hCG. He used to write a blog about what was going on. Newsagents picked it up and contacted him for interviews.
After his story went mainstream he was always all over the media and newspapers.
Celebrity Status
Another great highlight for Byron was when he went to New York. He was invited to go on the show with Jeremy Kyle. He was interviewed by a celebrity reporter with none other than the famous Brad Pitt alongside him. It was a dream come true.
Being backstage on the show he got to learn a lot about behind-the-scenes production.
Live TV
He saw the difference between live and prerecorded performances. It was something he had never experienced before. He enjoyed the experience but also decided that performance and theatre are his things.
There was a lot of cardboard, panels, and scaffolding around to create great backdrops, backgrounds, and colorful sets. His experience was iconic and kept him working in the theatre world.
Byron’s Life
Byron is happy and cancer-free today. He lives a healthy life and exercises regularly. Byron’s personal advice to all budding actors is to enjoy the process of rehearsal.
“Enjoy the week of performance, rehearsal, journey, and the process, and what it teaches you is so much more important than the day of the show. It’s just the tip of the iceberg” he says.
Volunteering Actor
He spends most of his time volunteering at the NGO called Young Lives Vs Cancer. He cares deeply about helping young children who are also suffering the effects of cancer. He offers free counseling services to kids and teenagers who need to talk.
It really helps to have a young, brave person who has been through the same problems.
A Role Model
The kids relate better to Byron and he also motivates them to stay strong. He is an example of the miracles that can happen with determination and prayer.
He spoke to the children about real-life problems he had in school. He gave them advice on how to deal with bullies. One of his best tips was to adopt an animal. Pets can give you a lot of love and comfort when people can’t feel what you do.
A Busy Man
With his new job, volunteering and his stand-up comedy sketches becoming more popular. Byron is extremely busy. If you would like to check some of his work out, you can follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. He also has a few comedy shows coming up in and around London.
It’s great to support local talent and this young man is a force to be reckoned with.
To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.