A cancer survivor is raising awareness that even young, fit men can be hit by the disease.

Connor Cunningham-Bladon from Gillingham was just 24 when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

The first signs of his illness emerged in October 2017 when he noticed blood in his urine.

He said: “It made me feel cold inside. I gave it a week and it happened again, so I went to the GP.”

He was referred to Medway Maritime Hospital for a cystoscopy - where a camera looks inside the bladder - which revealed a lump.

Connor thought it may be to do with the protein he had been taking for his weight training, but when he was called back to the hospital, the doctor drew a picture of the tumour and told him he had bladder cancer.

Connor, of Rotary Gardens, Gillingham, said: “I was horrified. I’d never been so shocked in my life, but straight away he said it was at an early stage, non-invasive and they were going to operate and get rid of it.”

He had an operation the following November and now has to have annual check ups for five years.

Connor is now 25, working as a deputy manager at Avenue Tennis Club in Gillingham and models for LGBT publications.

He is taking part in a trial with the University of London and is supporting Stand Up To Cancer’s national campaign which runs until October 11 and 25.

He added: “My life is now pretty much back to normal. I was lucky; I caught it early and I had good treatment.

“But I think it’s really important to tell people, especially other young men, that you don’t have to be old to get cancer.

“And if you think there’s something wrong, don’t hang about for months, go to the doctor.

“I sometimes think ‘what if I’d left it?’ and it scares me.

“People shouldn’t worry about being embarrassed. It’s your health, possibly a life and death situation and it is vital.

“The doctor will have seen it all before and isn’t going to care; they are there to help you.”

To find out more about Stand Up To Cancer, click here.

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