Charlie Degale is a man on a mission. After being diagnosed with germ cell tumours in 2016 – and faced with a wider community that struggles to talk about cancer – Charlie was determined to break down barriers and encourage fellow Black men to open up and speak out about the disease.
As Macmillan Cancer Support unveils worrying data about the human cost of this silence – 250,000 UK men with cancer are struggling with fear, depression or worry[i] – Charlie has turned his health crisis into a renewed sense of purpose.
A vocal advocate for dispelling cancer taboos within the Black community, Charlie’s been a key contributor to the ‘Black Men Rising’ podcast, which aims to encourage more conversations around cancer and to motivate men to seek medical help earlier.
Charlie’s own shock diagnosis couldn’t have come at a worst time – within a month of launching his dream football coaching business, he was hit with the news that he had cancer. The impact was life altering: “I’ll never forget when they called me at work and said that they needed to see me urgently. I went into St George’s and spoke to the oncologist there, where she confirmed that it was spreading. That’s when the alarm bells really started for me. It was in the lungs and they’d found a massive tumour behind the breastbone.”
However, having grown up in a community where it was unusual for people to speak about their feelings, he tried to deal with his diagnosis by himself: “Things that you thought would never affect you, especially as a man. Like a typical guy, I just got on with things.” Charlie explains how he kept a journal to record his experiences and feelings rather than opening up.
Charlie: “At the time I was going through treatment, I was the only Black man on my ward. A big turning point for me was when a young Asian man came in for treatment who had just been diagnosed with cancer and he was absolutely terrified – you could see the fear in his eyes.
“I spoke to him and it seemed to put him at ease, which made me realise what a difference talking about your own cancer experience can make to other people, especially people who may come from cultures and backgrounds where it might not be spoken about as openly.”
New analysis from Macmillan Cancer Support has revealed that more than one in three Black men (37 per cent) say they don’t like to share their real feelings. And with one in four (25 per cent) not feeling comfortable talking to others about things that worry them[ii], the vital work of Charlie and other vocal voices is seemingly more needed than ever.
Charlie says: “It is frustrating because early detection is so vital. On the Black Men Rising podcast, there was a story of a guy who got prostate cancer and did nothing about it. Unfortunately, he passed away because of the taboo of going to the doctors, that attitude of ‘what are they going to do about it.’ It was a very blasé attitude. Had he done something about it, he may still be with us today.”
Charlie continued: “Judging by what I’ve heard from our work on Black Men Rising, (this attitude) exists on a grand scale. Which is why it is important to get the message out there. Almost every guy that I spoke to on that podcast was affected by prostate cancer, the biggest killer amongst Black males. With any sign of discomfort in that area, you need to get it checked out no matter what. Particularly as there is no national screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK. It’s down to us.”
Happily, Charlie has been in remission since 2017, but he still must undertake twice-yearly check-ups. He also still wants to use his voice to inspire others.
As part of its ‘Find The Words’ campaign, Macmillan Cancer Support has just released a series of moving portraits, shot by award-winning photographer Ray Burmiston. The campaign features male celebrities and men affected by cancer to encourage more men to open up about their experiences and reach out for support.
