Young Father Has 4 Inches of Penis Amputated After Diagnosis
Steven Hamill said early symptoms were first treated as an infection before doctors found an aggressive cancer.
LIVERPOOL, England — Steven Hamill, a British father who was 26 when he was diagnosed with penile cancer in 2019, is describing the bleeding, pain and delayed diagnosis that led surgeons to remove about four inches of his penis.
Hamill’s account, shared on ITV’s “This Morning” and in later interviews, has renewed attention on a rare disease that is more often diagnosed in older men. His story now centers on the gap between his first symptoms and the cancer finding, the operation that followed and the years of physical and emotional recovery afterward.
Hamill said the first sign came in March 2019, when he woke up and noticed swelling in his genitals. He said he first hoped the problem would clear on its own. The situation changed after he began bleeding at home. Hamill later said he looked down and saw “blood everywhere.” He went to a doctor and said cancer was dismissed because of his age. He said he was told the problem was likely balanitis, an inflammation or infection of the head of the penis, and was sent home with a topical cream. The bleeding eased, but the pain grew worse.
About a month later, Hamill said, he fainted in his brother’s car after another heavy bleed. His sister’s wedding was the next day, and he has said he still attended while trying to get through the pain. He then saw a urologist and was referred to cancer specialists. Doctors first planned a circumcision. After that operation, Hamill said he was told the cancer damage was worse than expected and that a larger surgery would be needed. He described the affected tissue as a “big crater” and said the cancer had been eating into the area.
The later procedure removed the end of the penis and about four inches of tissue, according to Hamill’s account. He said a doctor told him before the surgery that the goal was to save as much tissue as possible because of his age. Hamill has said the cancer was aggressive enough that some surgeons feared he might not survive it. The public accounts do not give a full hospital record, cancer stage or all test results. They do say the disease was serious enough to require a partial amputation, also known as a partial penectomy, after earlier treatment did not solve the problem.
Penile cancer is rare in Britain. Cancer Research UK says it accounts for less than 1% of all new cancer cases in the UK, with about 820 new cases each year in recent reporting periods. Macmillan Cancer Support says most penile cancers are squamous cell cancers, a type that starts in skin cells. Medical groups list possible signs as a growth or sore, thickened or raised skin, color changes, discharge, bleeding, pain or a lump under the foreskin. Those symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, which can make early recognition difficult.
Treatment depends on the size, type and location of the cancer, as well as whether it has spread. The NHS says early penile cancer can sometimes be treated with creams or laser therapy. Later cases may involve surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Surgery can include removing the cancer and nearby tissue, part of the head of the penis, part of the penis or, in some cases, all of it. In Hamill’s case, the operation left him physically changed but still able to have sex and later become a father, he has said in recent interviews.
Hamill has spoken openly about the years after surgery, including dating, embarrassment and parenting. He has said doctors did not give him a simple script for explaining the operation to partners, so he had to learn how to talk about his body in a new way. He has also said the experience changed how he thinks about intimacy. In one interview, Hamill said his life is “great,” though “aesthetically a bit strange.” His public comments have mixed humor with a clear account of fear, pain and recovery.
The attention has also brought online cruelty. Hamill has said people have mocked him and used the nickname “Stumpy,” but he has tried to answer by pointing back to the disease. He has said the jokes can be harsh, but they also mean more people now know penile cancer exists. His appearance on “This Morning” included urologist Arie Parnham, and the segment framed the case as part of a wider taboo around discussing genital cancer. Hamill’s recent interviews have focused less on shock and more on what the diagnosis changed in his daily life.
Seven years after the 2019 diagnosis, Hamill has been described as cancer-free and continuing to speak publicly about the case. No new operation or formal medical update has been announced. The latest attention remains focused on his recovery, his family life and the rare cancer that doctors eventually found.
Author note: Last updated May 10, 2026.
