John Whitbread and his fiancée split up over Christmas but he is still going on his honeymoon with the highest bidder, he hopes

Instead of cancelling his holiday for two to the Dominican Republic, John Whitbread decided to offer the chance to join him to the highest eBay bidder.

After an “overwhelming” response from 65 bidders, he has said he will donate some of the money to charity.

Although the offer is only open to women, the 32-year-old insists he is not looking for romance.

Mr Whitbread, from Donisthorpe in Leicestershire, said he and his fiancée, who were due to marry on Valentine’s Day, had split up over Christmas.

When he asked his travel agent for a refund for the all-inclusive trip, he said he was offered half the money back.

“I’ve been working so hard for the last three or four months, this was the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

“But no one wants to go with me knowing it’s the honeymoon – who would want to go?”

‘Nothing sinister’

On eBay, he describes the auction as “a once in a lifetime opportunity, one to tell the grandkids, an adventure of a lifetime”.

Since he placed the bid at the weekend, he said he has been “overwhelmed” by the amount bid so far.

The cash will be used as spending money on the trip. When the auction ends next week, he said anything raised above £1,050 will be donated to testicular cancer charity Balls To Cancer.

The catch is the offer is only open to women, despite Mr Whitbread insisting he is “not ready” for romance and just wants a “bit of a laugh”.

“Nothing sinister but it would just be nice to enjoy female company and relax for a couple of weeks. It would be nice to get a friendship out of it.

“It could be anyone but that’s the adventure – it’s someone I would never go on holiday with.”

He said he hopes the honeymoon suite in the four-star hotel on the Caribbean island has a sofa he can sleep on.

LATEST UPDATE

Sadly the auction fell through, the sum raised was up to £8000 but these were spam bids. So John has not given up but in fact has now moved forward and opened his own website www.jiltedjohn.com and he is now raffling the holiday at £10 per ticket.

Why not get involved? you might just win!!

Story via BBC News

This is the story of our friend and supporter of the charity since day one Mr Nigel Smith. He is a great man, husband, father and Grandfather.

Please read this I think it will open your eyes to the REAL importance of being aware of your body and to get yourself checked.

In 2009 I noticed a small red blotch on the glans of my penis and thought it was just a spot,but it started to turn into a lump and I started to get concerned so after much thought I saw my Dr who on examination didn’t know what it was and referred me to a GU clinic.

Upon entering the clinic I realised it was a std clinic and was very angry my Dr sent me to such a place but I stayed and saw a female Dr. she said it was a genital wart and I could of contracted this decades ago and it can suddenly appear. I was given a solution called Warticon and applied it 3 times daily to no effect. I revisited the clinic and was assured it was a wart and it would go in time but the lump started growing and became ulcerated, all the time I kept away from my wife and started sleeping in the guest room so I could hide it from her citing that my snoring was keeping her awake. I refused to go back to the clinic because I felt ashamed and in this time a 2nd tumour appeared at the base of my glans which grew rapidly.

After hiding this condition for over 12 months I had to show my wife and she was horrified and phoned the clinic and the next day she came with me to the clinic. We saw a different Dr and after examination he said I was mis-diagnosed and referred me to see a urologist who took one look and was very concerned, I had a biopsy under anaesthetic on 23/12/2011 and awaited the results.

I had my appointment to see the urologist in January 2012 and was told I had malignant melanoma of the penis it was at stage 3 and was very very rare and required surgery. On February 15th I was admitted to hospital for a glansectomy and new neo glans by plastic surgery and stayed in hospital for 4 days. A week later I had a serious infection and was re admitted for iv antibiotics and further tests, again i spent 4 days in hospital and returned home to re-cooperate.

I was then referred to the dermatology dept at the Qe Birmingham, I was then told because of the seriousness of the cancer they needed further surgery to reduce the chance of it returning. In June I was re admitted to good hope hospital for a partial penectomy and another neo glans, after 4 days I was discharged.

I am now visiting the Qe every 3 months for a ct scan and up till now they have proved to show no change and at the last visit I was told the ct scans every 3 months can now stop which I feel was a glimmer of hope.

At this moment in time I am clear of cancer and can only be given temporary remission and a 50/50m chance of it returning. If the cancer came back on the penis it would mean I have to have a full penectomy and if it became a secondary cancer I would need chemo or radiology to try and stop it. I’m far from being cured and doubt I ever will be but remain strong and fighting this terrible cancer.

The whole journey as had a bad effect on my mind and I still struggle to cope with everyday situations but I feel in time this will go. I’ve had great support off my family which as pulled me through this and now I try to help other men not make the mistake of hiding this as I did.

Nigel was unfortunately diagnosed with the rarest type of penile cancer, melanoma. This is often harder to treat than the most common type  of penile cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) and has a greater chance of returning following treatment. He has asked me to update his story and although it is not good news, he continues to fight.

In July this year I had what I thought were flu like symptoms; high fever etc. so stayed in bed for a few days and after a few weeks felt normal but then 4 weeks later the symptoms returned  much worse.  My temperature was 41.5. An ambulance was called and I was taken to the local hospital A+E.. After seeing a few doctors I had an x ray on my abdomen where I had been having severe pain for a month and abnormalities were found. Because of my cancer I was admitted for 8 days.

During my stay they did every test they could on all my body fluids and could find no infection ,virus  or bug so they ordered a full body MRI scan which revealed a brain tumour,3 lung tumours ,liver tumour and a tumour on my adrenal gland. Upon finding these abnormalities they contacted the QE in Birmingham and I was discharged to wait for the hospitals to meet and discuss my case a long 3 week wait had begun.

A phone call to go to see my skin oncologist straight away revealed my worst fears as I walked into the consultant office to be greeted by a doctor and a MacMillan nurse. I knew my fate. I did not need telling but heard it all the same ‘I’m sorry Nigel but you are now stage 4 ‘. `Terminal I replied? `a slight nod of the head was given as doctors do not say terminal.

I was then fast tracked to medical oncologists and clinical oncologists, the waiting time was minimal. With regard to my prognosis I was told that I had months to live not years and cutting a long story short I would be given chemotherapy to try and shrink and slow down all the tumours to buy me more time.

My second visit was to see the clinical oncologist who said cyber knife radiotherapy would be required on my brain tumour to reduce it and this took place on the 19/9/2014

My next treatment is on Thursday starting the chemo journey which will be 4 x 3 weekly treatments to which the side effects are not very nice and I’m prepared to put up with this as I really need to stand up and fight for extended life.

I hope this story helps anyone who as or hopefully not will have to go through this trauma it’s a rollercoaster of gigantic proportions but things in life are sent to try us.

LATEST UPDATE

in august this year 2014 I had 2 bouts of what appeared like full blown flu with a temperature of 42 degrees an ambulance was called and I was admitted to hospital seriously ill. scans were ordered and it showed the primary cancer had spread to my brain ,lungs liver, abdomen and adrelan gland all in all a grave situation and more scans showed that the chemo drug I was on has had no effect on the tumours in fact they are larger and more have appeared so with just one more infusion out of four im hoping it works?

severe head pain in November saw me admitted to the QE hospital after an emergency direct call and after scans it showed that the tumour in my brain had bled into my brain and caused swelling which was very serious, after 2 weeks in hospital and getting over it at home im feeling better. I was offered another drug after I finished these other four infusions as they thought it would of worked on me better but alas I [got to know from an alcohol rehab that I] cannot have this drug with an active brain tumour and if the chemo ive had doesn’t work then I will be told they cannot do no more for me and will be placed in palliative at home.

the situation is grave but I will continue to fight in the hope that I see a reducement in the size and spread of tumours but I cannot see this happening so I have accepted that im approaching the time when all as been done and let nature take its course

Sadly Nigel passed away on the 23.12.14 with his family around him. He will be missed by us all.

12.1.15 – A very sad day as we said goodbye to our friend Nigel, his legacy will live on.

Nigel’s wife Lorraine and her family have asked for donations to be made in his name and for the money raised to be put towards our holiday home for cancer fighters and their families, which we will. Donations of £3 can be made by texting Nigel to 70300

Nigel’s family have today 28-01-15 given us cheques that with the online donations total up to £300 from donations from his funeral, Nigel and his family want us to use this money to help with our making memories Holidays for cancer fighters and their families which we will.

Nigels family have also asked us if we could ask you to continue to donate via the above text number to donate towards the Holiday home in his name.

Thank you

With Christmas coming we thought we’d ask for your help us share your #ChristmasMemories  and donate to help us to keep working hard, supporting people and bringing our projects to help cancer fighters at the time they most need it.

What we would like you to do is to send us your pictures of loved ones lost to cancer with a short message to contact@ballstocancer.com  and we will share them here and via Twitter, there will also be a #ChristmasMemories picture album set up on our Facebook page where they will be posted.

All we ask is that you text donate to our campaign by texting wish08 £1 to 70070

Today we launch the *Geoff Bates Fund, the fund has been set up to help the families in the UK who are fighting cancer.

We have spoken to hundreds of families across the country and their main worry after cancer has hit them is how to cope financially, often when a member of the family is ill someone has to take extended leave from work or give up work all together and this puts extra strain and stress on a family already going through the most terrible time in their lives.

We also speak to many families that have to try and raise funding for their childrens cancer treatment we intend to build this fund so that we can give that funding to every family that needs it.

The Geoff Bates fund will aim to help families that REALLY need that support. To be able to offer this fund we need your help. We need your donations and fundraising activities.

Please help us to help those who need our help the most.

Donate anything you can here  or text fund07 £5 to 70070

*Geoff Bates was the father of the Co-Founder Mark Bates who sadly lost his battle with Brain cancer

We have launched our #FumbleSelfie campaign as an initiative so raise awareness, funds and have a bit of fun by tweeting pictures of you grabbing your balls (dressed) to us with the hashtag #FumbleSelfie then donate a £1 via text by texting ball08 £1 to 70070 then nominate three friends to do the same.

Ladies don’t think you’re getting away with it! you can join in with our #FumbleSelfie campaign for breast cancer by grabbing your boobs !!

We have had stars like Russell Kane, the cast of Hollyoaks and the cast of The Full Monty getting involved.

We have teamed up with the brilliant Smarter Shaves to bring you Grovember. All we ask it that you let your facial hair grow and grow for the whole month of November whilst getting your friends and family to donate to us.

At the end of November we will pick a winner from one of our many Beautiful beards and mustaches we have and pick a winner who will receive a great prize from Smarter Shaves

Please remember over EIGHTY THOUSAND men die every year from cancer and we need YOUR help to beat it

It’s that time of year again when we ask you to buy a brand new toy (have to be brand new due to Health and Safety regulations) for us to donate to children’s hospitals around the country.

Help us make Christmas that little bit better for the hundreds of children that are ill some terminally in hospitals.

Please send your gifts (unwrapped) to..

Balls to Cancer

The Lodge

Mason St

Coseley

Wolverhampton

WV14 9SZ

We are running a no alcohol campaign for October called #Teatober. All we ask you to do is to donate £3 and stay Alcohol free for the mouth, this will help us and will help your body recover from the damage Alcohol can cause.

Fancy having your car cleaned tomorrow? Fancy The Dreamboys and Danny Osborne from Towie like this https://t.co/0uLWyzUXTB ? then get yourselves down to Lellers Car Valeting, 100 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5RJ from 12-6pm.

These gents are offering their time free of charge to help us raise awareness for male cancer and funds to help us help you.

Please dig deep and support the lads.

See you there!!!

Introducing the Square Pass Sweepstake.

The Sweepstake is a very simple game, all you have to do is pick 5 different clubs (1 from each of the 5 leagues) from your £50m budget and accumulate as many points as you can throughout the 2014/15 season. You don’t have to pick the winners of the leagues, pick players or make transfers etc. It’s a one off selection.

Accumulating points:
League games: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw.

Cup Games: 5 bonus points for every win in the FA Cup. 3 bonus points for every League Cup win & 5 bonus points for every JPT win (progression to the next round also counts as a win, byes given are not included).

The cost is a 1 off payment of £5 per entry. £3 will go into the prize pot and £2 will go to Balls to Cancer.
Prizes are:      60% of the prize pot will go to the winner who accumulates the most points, 30% to

2nd and 10% to 3rd.

There is also a £50 bonus prize if you collect 15 league points on a Saturday.

So what are waiting for get your selections in at http://www.squarepass.org/sweepstake/