Who we are
“We are community based down to our core. Our team is made up of former patients, friends, loved-ones, and health care specialists. This organisation was built trough small donations and volunteering.”
— Alex Desy, Founder
The Canadian Testicular Cancer Association was founded by Cheryl Perry in Kitchener, Ontario, in 2007. Cheryl’s son, Adam, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in April of 2003 while attending high school at Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge. Just seven short months later, on November 9th, 2003, Adam passed away peacefully with his family by his side. Adam was 18 years old.
During Adam’s illness, he told his mother that he had found a lump when he was 15, but didn’t know what it was, and so he said nothing. As the cancer began to spread, Adam noticed that his testicle had swelled; still, he thought it would go away and kept silent. During Adam’s treatment, he told his mother that he wanted to speak out and reach others so they would not go through would he endured.
In 2012, Alexandre Désy, a testicular cancer survivor, founded a similar organisation named Testicular Cancer Canada with the support of two other survivors (Charles Méthot and Guillaume Rabette) and members of their families. Together, they witnessed first hand the lack of information, awareness and support. Guillaume helped Alex and Alex helped Charles. They wanted to give to others the support and information they were able to get from each other. They have been paying it forward ever since.
In late 2014, both organisations joined forces under the Testicular Cancer Canada name.
We have been stronger together since.
Adam