Daniel Wolfram
A humorous incident with his son reveals a larger, darker symptom of men’s general health in Wales.
Ben Lidgey was messing around with his four-year-old son in the garden in Cardiff when the boy accidentally kicked him in the groin. The blow caused instant pain.
A week passed, but the swelling stayed. His testicle felt “like a cricket ball,” he told the BBC. At first, Lidgey brushed off the pain in the nether regions.
“It’s one of those fairly typical things that happens to men and you shrug it off and think, ‘Well, it’ll get better,'” he said. “I was in a busy family environment, you know, two small children, there were lots of other things going on.”
When he finally visited his general physician, doctors diagnosed him with testicular cancer. The accidental kick from his son had likely saved his life.
The quiet struggle
Beating the disease was only part of the journey. Five years later, his wife noticed subtle changes in his personality and urged him to seek mental health support.
“I don’t think you are fine. I think you need to talk to somebody,” she told him, urging him to speak to a professional counsellor. Now, Ben is an active campaigner for men’s health.
His experience reflects a growing regional crisis. The BBC reported that a recent study by the charity Movember shows one-third of men in Wales die before turning 75.
In 2024 alone, nearly 7,000 Welsh men died early, much higher than the rate for women. By contrast, the premature death rate for women is 28 percent in Wales.
Changing the culture
Health experts point out that many of these deaths involve preventable conditions like heart disease, liver damage, or suicide. Cultural expectations and stigmatisation often push men to suffer in silence, ignore poor diets, or isolate themselves as they get older.
“And then, if they’re widowed or if they retire, they really struggle with loneliness,” explained Jonathan Scourfield, a social care professor at Cardiff University.
Welsh Government officials say their existing health plans are already pushing for early mental health support and stronger cancer screening for men.
Signs and symptoms to watch out for
As Ben Lidgey experienced, rapid testicular swelling or severe pain can be an immediate red flag. However, testicular cancer often develops quietly. Key symptoms include:
- A hard, usually painless lump or swelling on either testicle.
- A feeling of heaviness or a sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum.
- A dull ache in the lower abdomen or groin.
If you experience any of these symptoms as well as weak urinary flow, blood in your urine or semen, or frequent urges to urinate, consult a doctor.
