Last year Aaron Benjamin was given only four weeks to live when doctors discovered a football-sized tumour in his abdomen.

The award-winning singer and actor had testicular cancer and is now urging men to get themselves checked immediately if they notice anything unusual. 

The tumor had been growing there for about two years during which time Aaron, who was suffering from a range of health problems including severe back and leg pain as well as groin pain, had undergone several tests but never checked for testicular cancer. 

“Please get checked early. Don’t make my mistake. I should have looked. Cancer awareness is so important. Men: If there is anything you feel is unusual just see a GP. It’s not embarrassing,” he says as he shares his story.

Aaron during chemotherapy in early 2019. Photo: Aaron Benjamin

Aaron, a UK national who is “still in my 30s”, lived in Malta for 13 years until the end of 2017. During this time in Malta he produced five Top 10 singles and won Best Male Artist at the Malta Music Awards 2010. 

He presented music radio show In The Zone on One Radio and acted in several popular Maltese television series including Evangelisti, Prima Facie and Strada Stretta.

His career in Malta was going strong. But in November 2017 he was forced to go back to the UK as his health started deteriorating suddenly. He started experiencing tremendous pain in his back and loss of sensation in his lower legs which made walking difficult. He developed gastric problems and lost lots of weight, becoming  overcome by fatigue. He also felt pain in his groin.

When he arrived in the UK, he spent a year at home, too tired go out except when he had to visit doctors. But, despite several tests that focused mainly on his back pain, the cause remained a mystery.

Aaron collecting Best Male Artist award in the Malta music awards in 2010.

“It happened so slowly that I started to accept it. It also affected my mind. I just sat there,” he says adding that parts of the experience remain foggy in his mind. 

Then, in December 2018, Aaron passed blood in his urine. He went to hospital where an ultrasound showed a large mass in his abdomen. Further tests were carried out and, two days later, he was told he had cancer. 

Biopsies showed the cancer had started as testicular cancer and metastasized to form the large tumor – a para-aortic lymph node mass which was compressing the abdominal aorta and causing the pain. The tumor had infiltrated his spine and was compressing the nerve.

“The oncologist said it had been growing there for a very long time. I asked him how much time I had. He said about four weeks. I had to start emergency chemotherapy… It was like I left my body and I was just observing. It was like a rollercoaster ride I didn’t queue up for. I didn’t panic. I didn’t cry about the news that I had cancer. I did cry because I was not going home for Christmas,” he says.

On Boxing Day Aaron started four months of intense chemotherapy followed by several other procedures including the insertion of a nephrostomy tube to drain urine directly from his kidney into a drainage bag - as the tumor had damaged his left kidney.

Aaron was lucky to survive. The tumor shrunk and only a small bit remains in his spine – still compressing the nerve which means he still finds it difficult to stand for long. The cancer remains in his lymph nodes but it is not active. 

Aaron, who wants to thank the hospital staff in the UK, is being monitored every four weeks by his oncologist in the UK and started travelling to Malta – as he hopes to move back to the island and continue where he left off.
He makes it clear that all he wants to do is spread awareness about testicular cancer. 

“I don’t want sympathy. I feel terrible about the people who didn’t make it and I feel guilty that I did. People keep telling me I’m brave. I wasn’t brave. I had no choice. I just had to go along with it. My mind was on hold. I cried after as I felt the weight of it. I still do,” he says.

“During the tough times I used to just imagine being back in Malta and looking at waves, alone…. I managed to do that last week and it was a very emotional experience.”