During the summer of 2024, I began to notice subtle but unusual changes in my body. After even the lightest runs or a casual game of football, I’d develop ulcers in my mouth—something that had never happened before. Then came the moment that changed everything.

I arrived at the hospital around 6 a.m., checked into theatre, and was prepped for surgery. I was hooked up to a line, dressed, and marked—“Right leg, right testicle”