At the beginning of this season of Married At First Sight Australia we learned that groom Nic Jovanovic had survived cancer.
He opened up about his battle with testicular cancer to his on-screen wife Cyrell soon after the couple were married, and it was one of the most emotional scenes we have witnessed on this season of MAFS.
Nic had discovered he had cancer four years ago, at the age of 24. He underwent surgery to have a tumour removed, and as a result would be unable to have children without IVF.
The popular MAFS groom never imagined that just days after filming for the show wrapped, he’d be forced to face the disease once again.
MAFS groom Nic reveals his cancer returned a second time (Images: Supplied)
Heartbreakingly, Nic discovered a lump on one of his testicles and medical professionals confirmed the cancer had returned.
“I just thought, ‘Surely not?'” Nic, 28, told TV WEEK. “I was having a shower at Christmas and found a little lump on my testicle. I didn’t want to take any risks – especially after what I’d been through already – so I booked in and was referred to a specialist.”
The specialist confirmed Nic’s lump was cancerous, and in February – just days after the show’s reunion episodes were filmed – Nic underwent surgery to remove the testicle. Since then he has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy.
“I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone,” he says. “It’s exhausting. You don’t want to get it once – let alone twice.
“But there’s always somebody worse off out there. If I can help and get one person to go and get checked and save their life, then job done.”
“It’s exhausting,” Nic says of his chemotherapy
Nic says it was tough recovering from surgery on top of dealing with the fallout and controversy that came with being on the show.
“After chemo, I was exhausted; my body was shutting down. It was just crap. And I’ve had to deal with her [Cyrell] and try to keep her calm. But what do you do?”
He is now in remission and no longer requires chemotherapy.
April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, and the messaging urges men to get “friendly with your testes”.
The Movember Foundation aims to halve the number of men dying from testicular cancer by 2030. To make a donation, visit movember.com
